BE THE CANDLE OR THE NIGHT : A POST TFA STORY
by Kassioppe
Summary: "They say that the Dark Side is hard to see. And that is why Orana could not have predicted what had happened five years ago. Five years ago, someone she thought she knew went down a path she could not follow." [O.C/BEN SOLO]
1. PROLOGUE

They say that the Dark Side is hard to see.

And that is why Orana could not have predicted what had happened five years ago.

Five years ago, someone she thought she knew went down a path she could not follow.

They call it the Dark Side.

Orana ran away from Him. From Them. From all of them.

But hiding did not mean safety.

And that is something Orana did not predict either.

The fight she had given up on was not finished.

And his voice screaming in her head that night confirmed it.

Orana was scared. Frightened.

And as they say it perfectly -

Fear is the path to the Dark Side.


	2. CHAPTER ONE : I feel it again

She could hear screams. But not the ones she usually heard. The person screaming was such in pain, she could feel it somehow. She could understand the reasons why. She also could feel that this person was shaking out of fear. Fear and Pain. Not the best mixture. A dangerous seemed to her that she also could perceive Guilt. The only thing she was sure was the desperate tone he, she or they took. That was a scream calling for help.

The screams got louder and she finally could distinguish some words. It was all gibberish at first but she could make sense of some part of the all non sense she was experiencing.

"It's too late... I've been torn apart... I wanna be free of this pain... Will you help me?"

Something odder happened then. Darkness happened. Silence had replaced the screams. Until the sound of a lightsaber erupted in her ears. She finally could see the form of a shadow - probably the person who screamed- in front of her.

And that was at that precised moment she realized that she knew that person. That was him. That was fucking him. He had not changed from a single yota. His eyes were darker and the smile she had been used to see on his face was gone. That was definitely him though.

When she eye-contacted with him, she got caught off guard. He was staring at her as if he could also see her.

It could not be true.

It just couldn't.

" Orana?"

Her eyes snapped open. Orana was back in her bed. She was breathless, the panic from what just happened still very much present.

"It was just a bad dream" she said in order to reassure herself.

That was it. Only a bad dream. It happened often after all, right?

"Just a bad dream". she repeated to herself while grabbing her knees.

Only a bad dream. A bad dream... Screw that nonsense. Orana was not a fool - what she just had experienced was not a simple nightmare. It was deeper than that. He had been standing in front of her and had recognized her... How could something like that happen? And those screams : were his... or someone's else?

Orana pondered. Something was different in this nightmare. She could tell the difference with the previous and numerous ones. That dream or whatever it might have been... That shit was real.

But if he had recognized her, it could only mean that... He might know where she was. Panic rose in her and her heartbeat quickened up. She needed to find an another shelter. A secured placed with the maximum of protections. She was not fearing for her life though - she could handle herself. The security issue was for someone else or actually for two little someones she would protect at any cost.

Oriana got up and went to the room next to hers. They were here, sleeping peacefully. Orana exhaled heavily. The girls were okay. Orana smiled but she understood she could not stay here for too long now. One year had been enough and it was a miracle he had not searched for her.

Orana sighed, thinking on a good place where the three of them could go. Deep down, Orana knew the answer but she tried to find an another solution. The truth was : it was inevitable despite Orana's helpless tries. There was not an another solution.

The idea did not please her at all. But the girls would be safe there and probably happy to go there as it meant for them to reunite with "uncle" Poe. If he were still alive.

Orana did not waste any time. She took the strict minimum in one rucksack. She was running out of time - if he had understood that the vision was real, he might be at the same very time sending troops to find her. She was traitor for the First Order.

She tried to act as usual when she woke up the girl.

"Mama, where are we going?"

Ester was the curious one but Orana focused on staying evasive.

" We're travelling sweetheart"

"But it is night Mama"

" You don't want to see the moonlight with Mama, Ester?" Orana gently asked.

"Yes but I can feel that Mama is afraid."

Orana winced. Her daughters were too clever for their age. About to leave their little shelter, Orana looked at it for one last time. It was to move on and to return to where once she had belonged.

"Where are we going Mama?"

Orana did not answer. Again.

"You need to sleep Ester like your sister."

"But Astra takes the whole blanket ! " sulked the little girl.

Orana rolled her eyes. Usually, she would have found the remark of her daughter funny but due to the extreme anxiety pumping in her vein, she was not in the mood for joking and having fun.

"Sleep Ester. Please"

The exhaustion in her mum's voice shut Ester up and she did not dare after that to utter something. Orana tried to look the most casual possible but the twins were not ordinary girls. Their bright eyes did not go unnoticed. Besides, it was nighttime. Not the best moment for a walk with five-year old kids

Orana tried to focus on their goal : to find Maz. Only her could lead them to the Resistance headquarters. The woman was their only hope. Luckily, Orana only had to give up on one golden necklaces in exchange of information regarding the best way to reach Maz's place.

The travel to Maz's place seemed to last an eternity but Orana refused to doze off even seated in a secured public transport. She was too scared someone would assault her or steal her something. The peaceful looks on Astra and Ester's faces helped her to stay awake. After all, Orana wad doing this for them.

They looked so much like him.

Orana understood why their shuttle had been nearly desert : Maz's place was in ruins. Destroyed. There was not a single soul in the surroundings.

"What the hell happened ?"

Maybe Orana had been wrong. The girls and her should not have come here. They should go back to where they had been hiding.

"You're not going anywhere Orana."

Orana spun did Maz always manage to feel her presence? That was an unsolved mystery to her.

" Maz " said Orna, trying to sound indifferent.

" It took you time to bring your asses here " noticed Maz shamelessly.

Orana blushed. Yes she did not visit Maz for a while now but it had been for the best. The First Order was not the only one looking for her : the Resistance had tried to hunt her down too.

" I was busy" she tried to explain for her defense. It made Maz snort.

" It's your excuse Orana? You had a battle to fight but you didn't Orana."

" That was not my battle "

" Of course it was ! But if it helped you to sleep better at night... " Maz sighed before going on "That battle could have been won if you had helped. That - " she said pointing at the destroyed building " - is a consequence of your cowardice Orana."

" You're talking gibberish Maz. I came to see you, not to be scolded by you."

Orana was about to leave the place when Maz called her one more time.

"What ? Any other remarks on my coward behavior ?"

"They're his right ? " she said, while pointing at Astra and Ester, sleeping in the little trolley.

"That's no why I am here. Our location is not safe anymore. I need to join a safer one Maz.."

" You mean..."

" Yes by "safe" I mean the Resistance. It seems I'm back in this shitty business after all."

Maz's smile got wider "Come inside with your daughters. I think I can help you with that".

Orana and Maz walked in silence. The castle was quite damaged and only a small part of it was intact. Orana frowned. Why would someone attack Takodana ? It had been a place quite significant for commerce in the past. She looked at her host for explanation.

" You're not aware?" Maz said, perplexed by the astonished face Orana was making.

" Aware of what? I've cut myself from society for nearly a year , Maz."

" I see... Let's catch up then , shall we?"

The little group finally reached the inside. There were the bare furniture. The lighted atmosphere Orana had been used to encounter here was non existent. It looked terribly sad. That was why Orana could not help feeling bad for Maz - that woman had created her place on her own despite high critics. More than just opening her commerce, Maz had opened it to everyone and had protected so many people fearing the First Order. She was a true hero. Sadly, in those times, heroes were easily forgotten.

Maz invited her guest to have a seat on the comfortable sofa. Orana took place and put down her bag. The girls were still very much asleep in their trolley. Now was the time for an honest and open discussion and Orana knew right away she was not going to like it.

" So , what did I miss? " asked Orana trying to sound relaxed.

" Kylo Ren"

Orana choked. Of course Kylo Ren had been behind all of this. He was a master when it came to crash down everything on his way. She had been the first victim of his exploits. Still, it was hard to think he had been able to destroy this place. After all, it looked totally innocent and there was no point in destroying it. Even First Order spies came to have a drink here.

" He... he came here?"

" Yes he and the First Order were here to kidnap a girl"

Orana chuckled. Kidnapping a girl could not have been First Order's top priority. It made zero sense.

" A girl? What kind of girl is she? The First Order is looking for more female Stromtroopers ?"

" She is special"

Maz's answer made Orana frown. Special? They were living in a galaxy full of creatures and powerful people. The First Order could find special people at anytime. They did not submit to anyone so why bother kidnapping a girl?

" Special? How so?"

"She may be a Jedi."

Orana gaped. That word ... she had not heard it for a very long time. A Jedi? No way. The only one left had been Luke and he was probably dead in the cave he had chosen to hide.

" You know they do not longer exist anymore, Maz. It's ancient history, come one!"

Maz shook her head. How could Orana have forgotten her true identity. The woman standing in front of her needed to be reminded of a thing or two. Few years ago, Orana had been like Rey...

" Luke's saber called her" the small woman explained.

" Impossible " snapped Orana straight away.

" I saw her with my own eyes, Orana !"

Maz was starting to be irritated by her guest's behavior. Not only she could feel the young woman's disbelief, she could also feel... fear and anger boiling inside of her. It seemed clear as crystal that Orana had not made peace with the past. She might have run from who she was, but it clearly was tracking her down.

" They want to prevent from a new Jedi order. Luke is still alive. They need therefore to eradicate all of them. Including the Force sensitives." Maz explained calmly.

Orana glanced at her daughters. Horror could be read in her eyes. Maz understood on the spot why Orana needed a safe place.

"They have it, right?"

" What do you mean?" asked Orana with dreaded eyes back.

" They have the Force or am I wrong?"

Orana sighed. It was pointless to hide this secret. Anyone could see that her daughters were as special as the girl abducted.

" Kind of. They can feel things...And Astra has started briefly to move objects the other day. I told her to stop. It's preferable"

"Preferable?" Maz snorted " You can't prevent the girls from who they are. They need to learn how to control it."

"No way" Orana was firmly opposed to this. This Force thing was not a good idea and one day, it will naturally fade. It had worked on her so why not on her daughters? It might be delusional thoughts but it helped her to sleep better at night. She was lying to herself but it was better than bringing the Force in her family. " The Force does no good in the family" she added.

"Kylo Ren - "

" His name is BEN SOLO, Maz ! " cut angrily Orana, her hands shaking.

Maz's face got softer. The poor girl was still disturbed by her past and by the way she was furiously scrubbing her hands, Maz knew that the Dark Side was still haunting Orana. She was still conflicted.

" I saw him - he made his choice even though I could tell he was still conflicted."

" He can kiss my ass. I don't care how much he is conflicted.. I'm sure he had not yellow eyes."

" He was wearing a mask but I..-"

"So don't say he had made his choice, Maz. Besides, I'm not here to talk about him. He means nothing to me and it seems reciprocal."

"Liar"

Orana sighed. She only wanted to find the Resistance and here she was, being offered a medical consultation.

" Help me to find the Resistance, Maz " she urged.

"You're ready to fight then?"

Orana stood up. She was fed up with all those questions. She rolled her eyes.

" Why do you make always thing revolve around him?!"

" Because everything revolves around him when it comes to you, Orana. He is the reason why you left the Resistance. The reason why you gave up on fighting against the Dark Side. He is also the reason why you're still in pain and conflicted. You lost yourself because of him, Orana. Ben tortured recently Poe. Your best friend could have died in your -"

"Don't say it, Maz. Don't" warned Orana.

" Why? Because it's hard to say out loud the truth?"

"Because it hurts so much Maz..." Orana sighed

Orana had finally let the truth out of her. Ben was everywhere. Everything was de facto revolving around him- the ring she kept in her pocket, her daughters, her nightmares... And it hurt so much cause all those things reminded her of what happened. Her daughters? Painful reminders sometimes of the young innocent boy she had once known. They looked so much like him. Too much.

Maz came besides her and tried to soothe the young mother.

" You need to make peace with yourself, my child" wispered Maz in Orana's ears.

Orana nodded while weeping the few tears rolling on her cheeks. She needed to be strong. Her daughters needed her and there was no way she would give up on her two precious treasures. She would not be an another Padmé.

" Lead me to the Resistance headquarters. Please Maz."

Maz nodded and the two started packing in silence. Within thirty minutes, they were ready to go. _It was time to go home_

Arrived, Maz went to talk to one of her acquaintance. He had refused her the entrance to the headquarters. Orana was not in the mood for pleading for mercy. It was time to drop her uncover identity. They would not refuse the entrance to a close friend of the General Organa.

" You need to let me in. Immediately" she ordered to the guard.

He was totally unimpressed by her and even chuckled.

" And you are...?"

" A close friend to the General Organa. Let me in or I will personally will tell to Leia Organa to dismiss you on the spot"

Chuckled got replaced by snickers. _Great_ thought Orana. She was making a fool of herself.

" Mister, I will not repeat myself a third time. I am Orana Solo and I swear I will end your life if -"

A door opened and a droid appeared with an another Resistance ally.

" Who wants to see General Organa ?"

That voice.

Orana could have recognized it among thousands.

" C-3PO?

The golden 3PO unit lost his voice when he saw her. It was unbelievable. His processor was having a hard time at telling him if it was real or not. But here she was with the two girls.

" Miss Orana? How lovely it is to meet you! The General will be delighted to see you and the little girls! Maz you're welcome to join us of course!"

" Thank you C-3PO. I love your new arm by the way" said Orana before adding to the guard's intention " I told you I was a Solo. "

Orana and the girls were finally in the buildings. Astra and Ester were not sleeping anymore and their faces were priceless. They were mesmerized by the surroundings and Astra jumped to hug her daughters happy was the only consolation of Orana to be back to the Resistance. When they had left, Ester cried during the whole travel while Astra simply refused to talk to her mother.

Orana could hear music near them. Did someone throw a party during war time? It could not be serious. But what Orana saw confirmed her intuition. There was a party going on there. People were shouting, dancing and having fun. She could recognize some faces but none of them were Poe or Jessika.

" C-3PO, what are they celebrating?"

" Our first victory against the First Order, Miss Solo" he politely explained.

" They had been defeated ? How ?" asked an impressed Orana.

" Their base got destroyed, Miss So-"

"Don't call me that name here, C-3PO. I don't want people to know .."

" Well if it is what you want, Miss.."

"It is." Orana calmly stated, her eyes fixed on the little group of young people in the corner.

They reminded them so much of her past. Jessika, Poe and her had fun too here. Among the little group were two girls - their resemblance was striking and Orana thought they might be sisters- and a young boy with the most radiant smile she had ever seen. The guy was illuminating the room and seemed to be fascinated by the party. His joy was contagious.

"Who are they?" Orana softly asked.

" Paige and Rose Tico , Miss. And next to them a hero part of the Resistance. His name is Finn. He helped us to destroy the First Oder's base. He got just released from the sickbay though"

" Was he sick?"

"No Miss. He got injured in a fight with... with.. with Kylo Ren , Miss."

Orana did not find an appropriate answer so she shut up. Kylo Ren had shown his abilities once again. How surprising. It only crashed even more any hopes of redemption. Ben had lost himself in Kylo Ren. He was gone. He had disappeared so much that no one here could describe his face, only his mask.

Orana was lost in her thoughts. So much that she did not see someone coming towards her.

" UNCLE POE"

Orana opened her eyes. Astra and Ester were running towards the man who had opened his arms. Poe was hugging the little girls tightly against his chest. Orana could see relief and true happiness gleaming his face. The three of them stayed two minutes like that. It almost made Orana burst into tears.

Poe had been a key figure for her daughters. Astra wanted to fly X Wing at two while Ester dreamed of becoming the official babysitter of BB-8. Talking of which , the orange droïd bumped into the trio, beeping his happiness.

" Let Poe breathe, girls. And Ester don't put your saliva on BB-8. It's a droid not a candy."

"But Mama, it is my friend not a candy." protested her daughter.

Poe looked at Orana and smiled. A year without her had been hard. Her decision to leave the Resistance had not been warmly welcomed especially by Poe who believed that any commitment like the Resistance was a commitment for life. You could not draw away from it. His mother had not and he will make sure of doing the same.

Still, he was kind of relieved to see Orana, who he had considered as his closest friend. Despite the many acquaintances he had bound here, Orana remained his best souvenir. He had witnessed Orana giving birth to the girls after all. They were bound forever.

" What are you doing there Orana?"

Orana had not expected the most friendly welcome from Poe but still, the stiffness in his voice was hard to take in. She knew he had not understood her runaway. She had acted cowardly because she had been unable to face Kylo Ren. She had not been strong enough to battle against the father of her daughters. Poe , as part of the Resistance, had felt betrayed.

" Glad to see you too Poe" replied Orana who hugged him, totally unexpectedly.

They will talk later. At least that was what Orana had in mind. Now was the time to reconcile and to enjoy the other's presence. They had been friends and were still least for Orana. That was why she whispered a small audible "I've missed you too Poe". They hugged for a while but got interrupted by a woman's voice. Jessika Pava , the only one.

" The loveliest Resistance member is back ! I bet you were missing our alcohol! I can't wait to show you the love of Poe's life!"

" Uncle Poe has a husband Mama? UNCLE POE HAS A-"

" Don't scream in public Astra. C-3PO, bring the girls to sleep. I'm sure some beds are still free." asked politely Orana.

" Of course Miss."

The two girls were not happy to leave Poe but they pleased her mother. Ester brought BB-8 with her with Poe's authorization because " it needed to sleep too" according to the young girl. Maz left too as she was told that Chewie was not here.

" So, you have a boyfriend ? Who is the luckiest guy in the whole Galaxy?" Orana said cheerfully.

Jessika pointed her finger to the little group that Orana had seen earlier. Poe had fallen for a Hero. His name was Finn if Orana remembered correctly.

" He is not my boyfriend Jess'" sighed Poe

" He is not your boyfriend...Yet " replied Jessika " You basically have an heart attack every time he says "Hi". I swear I've never seen our Captain Poe Dameron to be so enamored."

Orana looked at her friend. Poe was blushing. Jessika had seen right - Finn was not letting Poe indifferent.

" I doubt you came to talk about our Captain's love life Orana. "

Orana spun around. Leia Organa was standing in front of her. Her face was impassible nearly unchanged since the last time Orana had talked to her. Leia seemed tired but there was still this sparkle of Hope in her eyes. Her arms were crossed against her chest. She did not seem so thrilled to see Orana back. Or maybe something had happened which had caused her pain, thought Orana.

Orana decided to make the first step. After all, she was the one who had vanished. She needed to show that her loyalty had not disappeared too. She will always side with Leia, no matter what. For Orana, her mother-in-law had been an inspiration and she knew her daughters admired their grandmother too. Everyone aspired to be Leia Organa...except her own son ironically.

Orana faced the General. She slowly took her hands in hers. Leia looked at her, perplexed. Orana let what she saw yesterday night reappear in her head. Anger and fear were pumping through her veins as reminders of Ben's own anger from yesterday. Leia's face altered and she became paler. She could also feel it , Orana was sure of that.

" What was that, Orana?"

" I need your help Leia.. " pleaded Orana, the voice shaking due to the emotion before adding

 **"I feel it again"**


	3. CHAPTER TWO: Only a master of Evil

Orana was in her bed when someone knocked at the door. She did not muster the courage to answer as she was too tired by her yesterday adventure. Her visitor did not insist though and within ten seconds our protagonist was back in Morpheus' arms.

One hour later though, her eyelids started to move slightly. She could not find sleep anymore and Orana therefore opened her eyes slowly, only to find a white ceiling to stare at. It was different from her precious shelter and that realization struck her - she was definitely no longer in that messy place. She was back to where she had once belonged to. The Resistance.

She looked at the alarm clock. She had slept longer than usual. It was kind of a relief actually as she had so many hours of sleep to catch up.

Yet, Orana did not want to laze in her bed . She stretched her arms and headed towards the bathroom. She took a rapid shower and in less than fiften minutes , she was ready to welcome a new day.

Out of her room, Orana tried to look accustomed to the place. The truth was -she was not and was rather lost. So much had changed and she could not figure out where the hell she was. Her uneasiness was probably visible but no one dared to laugh at her. At least not in front of her.

" Are you lost?"

Orana spun around. A young small woman was standing in front her. A woman that Orana recognized - she had been in deep conversation with Poe's crush yesterday night.

"Kind of" muttered shyly Orana who was hoping not to make a fool of herself. " Things have changed since my last visit " she added quickly.

The woman raised an eyebrow. Okay maybe "last visit" sounded weird but it was out of the question for Orana to say she had fled the Resistance to the first stranger eager to help her.

" I see... Well where do you want to go?"

" I would like to see Poe Dameron. My daughters must be with him." Orana replied nicely.

" He is busy working on his X-Wing. Let's go together " the young girl offered .

Orana nodded and whispered a soft "Thanks". On their way to the hangar, Orana was told that her guide's name was Rose Tyco. The girl had a sister also working for the Resistance. She was a technician if Orana had understood correctly. It was hard to follow this lively woman as she was talking as quickly as she was walking. "The girl should have been an athlete" thought Orana.

When they reached the hangar, Rose pointed toward her right. Poe was scrubbing his most precious thing besides BB-8 that was to say his X-Wing. From where she was standing, Orana could distinguish a tiny figure holding wipes. It was probably Astra.

"You're good friend of Commander Dameron?" asked the young lady

"Yes. And you?"

Rose shook her head.

" I only knew him thanks to Finn"

 _Finn_. Poe's crush right? Orana could not help but escape a smile. She did not say anything though and the two women said goodbye. BB-8 rolled towards Orana when she approached Poe's most sacred place. The droid was beeping cheerfully, followed by Ester.

"Mama!" said the little girl with a wide smile on her face.

"Hello you" Orana murmured while hugging the little girl tightly.

Astra did not seem to notice her mother's presence. She was too focused on the task given by Poe - to prepare the wipes and to give them to her uncle. Her eyes were frowned and her whole body seemed to be tense. Orana had never seen her daughter that concentrated.

"You don't say hello to your mum?" Poe demanded who had just finished the cleaning of the wings.

Astra raised her head and discovered Orana who was smiling at her.

" I need to help Uncle Poe, Mama. Sorry but the Resistance needs me" the four-year-old girl explained very seriously. It made her mum laugh.

" We're done pumpkin so you can go play with BB-8 and your sister" replied Poe with a proud smile.

Orana was observing the whole scene with fondness. Her daughters had cried so much because of Poe's absence for the past year. She was glad the little trio they had formed was still present despite their one-year trip. While Ester was playing with a mini Millenium Falcon, Astra was busy cleaning her little pilot helmet. The twins were surrounded by the little orange droid whereas Poe sat down next to his friend.

"They did not bother you?"

Poe shook his head. How could he be bothered by the girls' presence? He had missed both of them. Astra and Ester were more than just two little girls. They were family. After all, he had been the first one to carry the two in his arms. He still remembered very well that day.

 _FLASHBACK_

 _" Don't push yourself too hard Orana. Gimme that thing"_

 _Poe's advice made Orana roll her eyes. He had been acting like that since the very first day she had told him about her pregnancy. She knew he was only doing that in order to protect her and the babies but his bossy tone was getting on her nerves. Yes she was pregnant but it did not mean she was impotent for stars's sake. She was still able to carry some heavy boxes right?_

 _"And don't try to contradict me. It's an order."_

 _" Yes Commander Dameron" Orana replied annoyingly_

 _She dropped the packages thus making a screeching sound and went back to her seat, mopping like a three-year-old girl. Her arms were crossed. Poe could tell she was not happy to stay here without any occupation. But it was for her health and for the health of her two future children._

 _"You will thank me later " he added while reading the message he just had received from General Organa._

 _Poe was busy with the new recruits. The General had used some of her connections and thanks to that, a new bunch of young people were one by one arriving to the Resistance. Poe had been asked to train most of them making his timetable quite complex. He had not so much free time and that was why he was quite reluctant to let Orana alone. His friend was pig-headed. Out of his sight, he was sure she would be back to do physical tasks. That was for Poe out of the question. He had to get along with her constant change of mood for the past 8 months and it had driven him times to times quite crazy. For the last month, she would do what he said to do._

 _He was still reading the new recruits' profiles when he heard Orana_

 _"I think I might be very soon freed of my condition" she said calml_ y

 _"Why do you say such thing? The doctor said you still have one month to go." Poe asked , his eyes still on the sheets of paper._

 _"Cause I'm about to give birth Poe. SO COULD YOU STOP READING THOSE DAMN RECRUITS' PROFILES AND CALL SOMEONE?"_

 _Poe turned around. He got mute. Orana was paler than usual and her face was tense. His friend was biting her lips to prevent from screaming from the pain. Her nails were digging in her seat. Poe was paralyzed a few instants. He never had seen her like that. Orana never showed any sign of physical pain._

 _However, Poe stopped being motionless and let his files drop on the floor. He ran next to her friend and rubbed her back. He had read ( yes cause he had documented himself in secret for the past 5 months) that it could actually make pregnant women better._

 _" I don't need a massage but a doctor Poe" Orana sighed_

 _" At least you've still got your sense of humor" the pilot replied ._

 _Maybe he should have not said such thing as Orana gave him the angriest look he had ever encountered as an answer. "Rule number one - don't make jokes when someone is about to give birth" he whispered to himself._

 _Poe called General Organa, his only hope to deal with this kind of situation. In less of two minutes, a medical aid was taking care of Orana who was now redder than ever. Drops of sweat were rolling on her sweet face. He could also distinguish some tears at the corner of Orana's each eyes. She was scared. Poe was too._

 _Nevertheless, Poe stayed with her friend during the whole trip but tried to avoid his friend's gaze. Orana was wincing due to the pain and that was unbearable for Poe. He hoped the General will be there soon because he might faint at some point. He and the medical team were running through the corridors and the journey to the medical wing of the Resistance seems endless._

 _He spotted the General, who was talking to one of the doctor. When she caught them, she rushed to the stretcher in which Orana had been put. Leia was at the edge of tears but tried to compose herself. She had the most radiant smile on her lips and was caressing her daughter-in-law hair._

 _"You're ready for the big day ,my dear? I called Han. He is on his way to greet the new members of the Solo family " she softly said._

 _"I'm not, Leia. The doctor told me yesterday there was still a month or so before-I can't do that Leia."_

 _Orana was in tears. She had naively thought that a month will have suffice for Ben to suddenly had been waited for his return for seven months now. He was supposed to be here. He needed to be here._

 _" Don't panic Orana. It's going to be okay, right ?"Leia asked to Poe._

 _He nodded but did not say anything as a midwife droid arrived. She explained the procedure calmly but it did not prevent Orana from clenching tightly Leia's hand in hers. She was terrified. After all, she was still a young woman whose husband had disappeared after killing a bunch of innocent people. Poe was glad he never had seen Ben Solo. That man was a shame. He had no desire to ever talk with him._

 _Orana was brought in the room following by Leia. The blue and green midwife droid looked at Poe and asked if he were the father. Poe laughed at the idea. Poe and a woman? Not happening._

 _"No, I'm not. I'm just a friend" he exclaimed between two giggles._

 _"You can't therefore stay. Only family members are allowed here."_

 _Poe looked at Orana, who was now on a cold table. A Chroon-Tan B-Machine was ready to start and warm cushions were already prepared to welcome the two newborns. The General was here and Han Solo was about to arrive - Poe could leave even though he was unwilling to. He headed towards the exit but someone screamed his name. That was Orana._

 _"You better bring your asses here Poe Dameron cause I'm not in the mood for arguing"_

 _"I can't stay. Only family" he explained_

 _Orana huffed. " You're Family Poe. Stay. I don't wanna be alone. Please"_

 _And that plea made Poe the whole process, Orana had kept her left hand in his and the right one in Organa's. She had barely screamed but that did not mean she was not suffering. It was not the physical pain she was dreading but the mentally pain. Her heart was grieving Ben's absence. Her few audible screams were the translation of her rage against Ben. He should have been here and damn she was furious towards him. She was more focused on her frustration than of what was happening. She only came back to her senses when Leia called her name._

 _" I'm so proud of you Orana. My grandchildren are as beautiful as you are my dear."_

 _Orana gave a weak smile. She was exhausted but the tears of joy rolling on her mother-in-law's face was a great payback. Poe came with the first newborn while Leia had the other one. Yes, Orana was still saddened by Ben's absence but she could not help but smiling when she saw the two closest people she had being with her._

 _" So what's their name?" Poe asked, his still shaking due to the emotion_

 _" When we were younger.. Ben and I would walk out to see the stars. We would admire the stars for hours and hours in silent.. Ben always told me he belived that stars could protect people cause her mother had told him so when he was a kid. That was a lame attempt to flirt with me but the memory never left me... So I wanna name them Astra and Ester. They will be the two stars who will protect each other." told Orana on the verge of crying to the two others._

 _" Well... May the Force be with them" Leia Organa added ._

 _"May the Force be with them" Poe repeated ._

 _END OF THE FLASHBACK_

Poe smiled at the thought of this event. He remembered how after that, Han Solo had barged into the room without knocking. He had been disappointed to have miss the birth of his two granddaughters but his disappointment had been quickly replaced by a radiant smile when he had met the two girls for the first time. " They look like him" he had said, bewildered. And that was true - Astra and Ester really looked like their father.

"So, what are the latest rumors? You need to enlighten me. I barely recognized the place." Orana admitted .

" Well...Still no signs of Luke Skywalker but we finally found the missing piece of the map"

Orana choked out of surprise. Her wide eyes were urging Poe to carry on.

"A girl is on her way to find him."

"A girl? What girl?" Orana asked . Was she the same girl mentioned by Maz?

" I don't really know her.. Her name is Rey. She was living on Jakku and fled with Finn from the First Order. It seems Luke's lightsaber called her and that she has the Force"

Poe met Orana's gaze. She was totally speechless by the news. That girl had the Force. How the hell was it possible? Orana was completely clueless. Things have changed since her departure.

"It can't be true. You're sure she isn't working for the First Order?"

"Yes I'm certain. She is Finn's friend and I trust Finn with my entire life"

"You're clearly blinded by your feelings."Orana stated with a little smile." But you're cute when you're in love."

Poe shot her an annoyed look. His feelings for Finn.. or whatever it was, were not something he wanted to discuss. There were greater issues to deal with. Now was not the time for dating preoccupation. The Resistance mattered more.

Jessika Pava appeared from nowhere and joined her two friends. She was however not here to talk about Poe's love life. She had been asked to search for the two of them- Poe and Orana were apparently in fact requested by the General Organa. A meeting was about to start. There were news coming from the new protege of Leia.

" The General wants you both. Now" Jessika stated "I'm taking care of Astra and Ester" she added;

Orana had dreaded that instant. The moment where she would have to face her Resistance friends. Friends she had left. And now she had to face them. What could go wrong though? She could do it.

She briefly kissed her two daughters on their foreheads before going. The room in which her and Poe entered was crowded. People were chatting but as she was approaching the board panel, silence replaced the previous noise. Orana could feel eyes posing on her. They were all looking at her. People in awe, others in shock...Leia saved her from her misery as she started to talk.

"We have news from Rey. She had found Luke Skywalker."

That news brought back some noise. Only whispers though - people were too impressed by the General Organa's aura to try to cut her. Leia was a born leader. People followed her naturally.

" Rey? Is she okay?"

Every pair of eyes went in the same direction - the young black man that Orana had seen yesterday. Finn. Orana looked more closely at him. He was rather handsome , she thought. No wonder why Poe had fallen for a guy like Finn - he had a certain charisma . But there was a kind of gravity in eyes...Orana could not find what it was but she could feel it.

"Yes she is, Finn. She has left a video message for you." Leia answered nicely

Finn's face got softer. He looked truly more at peace than yesterday. Was Rey someone special to him? Well, it seemed to Orana that Rey was kinda special to everyone in this room. She caught the attention of every single member of the Resistance. Orana had to admit - the girl impressed even her. After all, she was the one who had found Luke. It might have been a tedious mission as no one before Rey had seen the old Jedi. Not even Leia or Han. Not even Orana herself.

" So what do we do now Ma'm ? "a random pilot asked .

"We wait."

Shouts erupted in the room after Leia's brief answer. People were tired of waiting. They had been waiting for years. They needed Luke and they needed him now. Orana did not mind however. She was not so eager to see Luke's face. They were not on very good terms since...

"We can't wait any longer, General. We need Luke now!" screamed angrily people from the back.

Leia raised her hands to demand some silence.

" He needs to train Rey. She is our best asset to counterattack the First Order." Orana's mother in law calmly explained.

" To train her? She..has the Force ? "

Leia nodded. There was no point to deny such a thing. It was the truth.A truth that did not please Orana Solo so much. An another possible Jedi was not in her idealistic plan. She had enough of the damn Force.

" Are you sure of that ? "

For the first time, Orana had spoken up. She knew she was probably not the best to question people's true intentions. But someone needed to check if that Rey was someone reliable.

" What, you're scared she could overshadow you, Solo?" a man, seated next to Rose Tyco, snapped . It made the audience laugh at the exception of Poe and Leia.

" Charming as always. I've missed you too" Orana snapped back, who looked like a white marble statue. Her chin was up and she clenched her fists. " So, is that Rey reliable or not , General ?" she repeated once again.

Finn answered instead. He would not let someone to question his friend. Rey had probably saved all of them. She had showed strength : her loyalty could not be questioned.

" Rey saved us. Without her, I would be probably dead. Kylo Ren would have killed me. He has no mercy. He is only a master of Evil."

Kylo Ren. Hearing that name was an hard pill to swallow for Orana. She only knew Ben Solo. Kylo Ren was not someone she wished to meet. Kylo Ren had destroyed Ben. She could not disagree with Finn - Kylo Ren has no mercy. He proved it five years ago when he made Ben disappear. Forever.

" You look surprise Solo. But you should know by know that you're husband is a murderer and that-" the man from earlier said , laughing at his own stupidity.

"You better shut up" Orana replied angrily . She was not in the mood for that kind of fists were so tightly clenched that she could feel the beating of her heart pumping through her veins.

Orana could feel something else. Something she had tried to hide for five years. The Force. That damn thing never shut off completely. And that damn thing was once again calling her. She could hear its damn voice in her head. It was begging her. It begged her to use it. To use the Force. The Dark side was tempting her.

She searched for Leia's eyes. The two women connect and the General understood what was the matter on the spot. She called for the end of the session and dismissed everyone.

Orana sighed out of relief but that did not mean she wanted to stay in that room. She wanted to be out now. She headed towards the exit.

" We need to talk Orana ! " Leia said out loud

"Later" Orana managed to say. She was not eager to have this discussion yet.

Out, Orana exhaled heavily. It was like she had stopped to breathe during the whole meeting. Her hands were shaking but the voice had vanished. Her back on the wall, she stayed in that position for several minutes.

She thought she was finally okay but it turned out , that an another voice appeared out of nowhere. A terrible familiar voice. Ben's voice. Or should we tell Kylo Ren's voice?

 _" Forgive me... I feel it again..The pull to the light... Supreme Leader senses it"_

What the hell was happening? Orana had no idea. She was no longer in the white corridor of the Resistance building but in a dark, circular room.

Orana felt dizzy for a few seconds as she was trying to understand what was going on. She let a shreek out when she saw who was seated on the bench in front of her. It was Kylo Ren.

"Show me again.. the power of the Darkness and I will not let have things standing in our way... Show me, Grand Father and I will finish what you"ve started"

Kylo Ren, his mask on, sat up afterwards. He did not seem to notice Orana's presence. Orana was quite helpless. She did not know why she had been able to see that scene and how she could get ouf from it. One vision had been enough.

She only saw Darth Vader's mask when Ben left. It looked like an artefact ready to be exposed in a museum. The black colour had turned grey while the mask had probably suffered from high temperatures - some parts of it had completely melted.

Why would Ben keep such a thing? And why would he talk to it? He had talked openly to that mask. He never did have that kind of intimate conversation with her. He had spoken of "The pull to the light". Would it be possible to imagine that...

"Orana?"

Was this question asked by Ben or Poe who she could feel next to her?

Orana would never know as she passed out and fell on the floor.


	4. CHAPTER THREE : Thatis why you fail

CHAPTER THREE

 _" Can you stop pacing the room ? You're stressing me out , Ben"_

 _Ben stopped and looked at Orana. He did not reply anything. His eyes were fixed on her face but it did not mean he was purposefully looking at her. It seemed more probable that he was thinking about something - his eyes were devoid of softness and showed nothing but anger. At least that was what Orana understood by glancing at him._

 _" What's bothering you? You know you can tell me everything, Ben."_

 _He did not answer. Instead, he went back to pacing around like a prisoner in a cell. Orana sighed. She could not bear his silence anymore - he had barged in her room twenty minutes ago but had not said a single word to her. She would not be waited for explanations any longer - it was or never._

 _Orana stood up and caught Ben's arm. She was surprised he did not flinch under the gesture as he usually did. She made him face her. Her arms crossed on her chest, she scrutinized the face in front of her. His eyebrows were frowned and his jaw tense. Something had happened and Orana needed to find out what was torturing Ben Solo._

 _" Let me help you, Ben. I can't stay sat like that and say nothing."_

 _Orana was careful with the words she chose. Ben was quite touchy and his changes of mood were unpredictable - Luke had told to Leia and Han that was something normal. The Force was hard to control for any young padawan._

 _"Nothing happened" Ben whispered. "The training did not go well that's all."_

 _"That's all?" Orana repeated, quite pissed " You're pacing my bedroom for about twenty minutes with fire in your eyes, Ben ! So don't you dare saying that "nothing happened"._

 _"I ... I fought with Luke."_

 _" About?_ "

 _"About the Force, Orana." Ben sighed. He headed towards the couch._

 _Orana did not even get surprised by the news. The Force was often a source of conflict between Luke and Ben. The two were pigheaded - they always claimed their opinions were the right one. That stubbornness was in their genes._

 _She sat next to him and took his hand in her palm . " What did he tell you?" she asked, getting herself ready for the worst._

 _" He said I was too angry. And that ... was why I fail. That I needed to control that anger. Otherwise..."_

 _"Otherwise?" Orana demanded, getting worried._

 _Ben stared at her. His eyes were darker than usual. He exhaled heavily as if he wanted to delay what he was about to say. It was pointless to hide it anyway - Ben knew Luke might be right._

 _"I could end up like my grandfather"_

 _Orana gulped. Why would Luke say such things? Skywalker knew how fragile Ben was. There was no need to frighten him more. Ben dreaded in fact his legacy. It tortured him often actually and it was a topic which Orana preferred not to discuss._

 _Cause Ben was not the only one getting tormented by the shadow of Anakin Skywalker. So was Orana. She had heard how Padmé, Anakin's wife, had died. Anakin's anger had killed her and she had passed away, heartbroken. Padmé's finale moments were not something Orana wished to replicate. She would not let herself dying out of grief._

 _" You're not Anakin, Ben. Luke was probably pissed off by something and -"_

 _Ben cut off her . " He might have a point, Orana... Something's happening to me. I'm not the Jedi I should be... I want more and I know I should not."_

 _Orana was taken aback by Ben's revelation. She gazed at him, in disbelief. There was no way he was joking - his jaw was tense and his eyes staring at the floor, afraid of her reaction probably. What he just has said... was quite unimaginable for Orana. How could someone like Ben would turn to the Dark Side, when he knew the consequences of such a decision?_

 _" Ben, you're not serious, are you?"_

 _Ben nodded, his eyes still on the floor._

 _"You can't think like that Ben. You just can't."_

 _" And why can't I, uh ? Their idea of "Good versus Dark Side" sounds bullshit to me. There are no bad guys and no good guys , Orana. We can't just fit in one box." Ben explained while he is scrubbing his hands. " I know I don't fit anywhere" he added._

 _Orana grabbed his hands " Ben, this is just how it works. You can't go against it."_

 _Ben stood up, furious. He threw his hands in the air, as an obvious sign of annoyance. His back was facing Orana, still seated on the couch, whereas his eyes were gazing the wall in front of him._

 _" Your brother saved you, Orana while he shouldn't have as he is part of the First Order. Your father is part of it too... but you, you're here with us.. Am I wrong?"_

 _Orana winced at the mention of her brother. She did not like talking about her family. Yes, her father was working with the First Order since the very beginning. After all, it was a family tradition to cooperate with them - Orana's grandfather had worked with the Empire. Orana's brother had been brainwashed into doing the same and was now a general - at least that's what Orana had heard recently. However, his brother had helped her once - thanks to him, she had been able to flee the family house to join Leia Organa._

 _"You're right Ben.. But it's different from you." Orana explained. She was starting to be scared by Ben's behavior. He seemed cross and resentful. She could feel it. His rage was perceptible - it was running through his veins._

 _Ben spun around. With his eyebrows frowned and fists clenched, she barely could recognize the nice young man she is accustomed to see._

 _" How is it different, Orana? How!"_

 _" You're the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, two faces of the Rebellion. You have two amazing models to follow. You're not Anakin, Ben. There's good in you." Orana's words came out quite angrily before adding more gently " I was not so lucky"_

 _Ben's only response was a snort._

 _"Lucky? I have an absent father and a busy mother, Orana. I don't want to look like them." Ben stated._

 _Orana sighed. Ben was right. Leia was busy - she was an extremely important political figure now. She had fought against corruption reigning in the Senate. She had fought for social justice. But with the rise of the First Order, her fights might be vain. People were talking and rumors of a coup was spreading in the whole galaxy. The new preoccupation of Organa was now to handle The Resistance - new rebels who will deal with the First Order if this scenario occurred. The Resistance headquarters where Orana and Ben lived now._

 _Han was mostly absent, far from home. Immobility was not his thing. He needed to explore the Galaxy with the Millennium Falcon and Chewie. Ben had told Orana once that there was an another reason behind his long travels - Han Solo and Leia Organa fought often. Leia and Han therefore preferred to be as busy as possible in order to prevent this kind of arguments. Ben would spend his days alone until Orana appeared in his life._

 _"Then don't, Ben. But don't put Anakin on a pedestal. "_

 _Ben's eyes softened and nodded gently. His lips were trembling - he was on the verge of crying. He bit his lips in order to prevent tears to escape from his eyes. He was about to leave the room when Orana called him one last time._

 _"Ben, all I want is your love. Remember that"_

Orana woke up abruptly. She took a glance at her surroundings - the corridor was replaced by a white bedroom. She was in the medical wing of the Resistance apparently . The awful white curtains confirmed her suspicion - she recognized them from her time spent here after giving birth to Astra and Esther.

"No way I'm spending a minute more here" she thought. She grabbed hastily her jacket which was put on the chair next to the bed, and stood up on her two feet. She felt dizzy for a while but managed to walk nevertheless normally after a few seconds.

She did not see a single face in the corridor - that was her chance to leave the place. She tiptoed and reached the exit rapidly... only to discover a young man strolling towards the main hall.

"Finn?"

The young man looked at her, his eyebrows frowning. " Do we know each other...?"

" No but you're Poe's friend, right? He told me you're the brand new and shining face of the Resistance. That you saved people." Orana tried to explain.

Finn's reaction was quite a mix of surprise and awe. He did not know that Poe had spoken about him in such praising terms. He felt honored. But at the same time, he did not enjoy to be considered as the new hero of the Resistance while he had worked for the First Order since his childhood. So many other members deserved the title more than him.

He looked at the woman standing in front of her. Her hair were entangled and the dark rings she had under her eyes made her to look like a ghost. A shadow.

"You're okay?" Finn asked before adding as he saw confusion on Orana's face " You seem tired."

" Fine" she stuttered hastily " Do you have some free time ? I would like to get to know you better. You seem to be special. At least, according to Poe Dameron."

Finn's eyes widened. He, special? Poe had probably exaggerated. Finn was a simple soldier. Nothing more. Nevertheless, he nodded in agreement and the two headed towards the hall. Orana's desire for walking was not an innocent gesture - she was actually fishing for information. She was on a secret mission - to get to know better Poe's new crush.

" My name is Orana, by the way."

" I heard. You're a Solo, right ? Are you Han's daughter ?" he naively asked.

Orana tried to mouth something but she stopped herself. C3PO had told her about Finn fighting with Kylo Ren. Would it be fair to tell him that she was married to the bastard which had hurt him? Probably not. But yet, telling the truth would simplify things. Finn did not deserve to be kept away from this kind of information.

Orana shook her head "I'm Han's daughter-in-law. I'm married to...Ben Solo.I was told you met him back in the woods with your friend Rey. I'm sorry he hurt you... There was a time he would not have behaved like this."

Her eyes met the floor to avoid Finn's gaze. She could feel his shock as he let a "Oh" escape from his mouth.

"I see" is all what he managed to answer. " So you're daughters..." he trailed off

"... are Ben's" Orana muttered, completing Finn's sentence. " But we're not here to talk about me. So you're Poe's friend... How did the two of you meet ?"

Finn stiffened. How would he possibly explain that story? The two had met under the strangest circumstances - he, deserting the First Order and Poe fleeing it. They were never supposed to meet and even less to get along. That was still a strange concept to understand for Finn - how could someone like Poe have found in someone like Finn, a traitor, a friend? That was a complete mystery.

" I helped Poe and he helped me. We ran away from the First Order together. " he briefly stated shyly. " But then , I met Rey, the one who found Luke Skywalker. She is such a strong girl : the lightsaber of Luke had called her and now she is learning how to control the Force and she..."

Orana winced internally. Finn was talking non stop about that Rey girl and had shut up the Poe's question in ten seconds. Orana dreaded for her friend - what if Finn was into Rey? Poe would have his heart broken - Orana was sure of that. Poe Dameron might be the bravest, cleverest and the best pilot of the Resistance , when it came to his love life, he was a mess. Orana remembered when she had to spend the night comforting him after his boyfriend had broken with him. She had to drag him away from the bar where he had went after the break-up and had babysit him for the whole night. The next day, despite the hangover, he behaved as professional and Orana never heard Poe complain about the boy again.

However, Orana doubted Poe would be that strong if Finn turned out to be interested in someone else. Orana had seen her friend's face when Finn was mentioned - it was radiant. There was something about that boy which had unlocked something in Poe. Finn was genuine and nice. Someone with the purest intentions. He was also brave - he had fought Kylo Ren to protect his friend and had survived... Finn was kind of a miracle . And that was what Poe needed in his life - a miracle.

Finn was still speaking about Rey when they arrived in the hall. They were about to say goodbye when Orana decided to bring up Poe once again.

"I think I can understand why Poe likes you, Finn. You're a shining sun. Never stop being like that. The Galaxy needs suns like you."

Finn opened his mouth but shut it up as he did not know what to response to that. Actually, Orana did not give him that chance - she left immediately, leaving a speechless Finn in that crowded hall.

"Here you are, Orana! I thought we would never see your face tonight!" chuckled Jessika.

Orana rolled her eyes, smiling. She had promised she would come to that little reunion. She just needed to find someone to look after the girls - C3PO had volunteered and Orana hoped she won't regret that decision.

She sat next to Poe who had already a glass in his hands. And by Jessika's unusual high pitched voice, Orana deduced her two friends had started the reunion without her - they were already a bit drunk.

" Did you seriously start the party without me? I'm offended" she said, trying to sound upset. It made Jessika laugh even more.

"Where were you hiding,uh ? The medics tried to look for you. You were not supposed to leave without permission" Poe said on a reproaching tone.

Orana huffed "Don't start, Poe. I'm okay. I just fainted. And I was in a lovely company by the way."

Jessika's eyes widened. Orana was not the type to have a little chat with strangers. What the hell was happening to her? Jessika looked at Poe who was as surprised as her.

" Did you find someone to replace that stupid husband of yours? " Jessika asked

Orana nudged her. She didn't like when people, especially Jessika, would insult her marriage. They could hate Kylo Ren but talking about her marriage was out of line.

" No. I had a deep conversation with Finn."

At the mention of Finn, Poe's eyes widened. He looked frantic. He stood straight on his chair and looked at her friend, greedy for more information. It made both Jessika and Orana laugh.

" What did he tell you? Did he say anything about me? Did he...?"

Orana and Jessika giggled even more. Finn was having a strange influence on Poe.

" He talked briefly about how the two of you met but he actually spent most of the time talking about Rey. They seem pretty close "

Orana's summary of her conversation with Finn made Poe's smile to disappear. He only nodded and looked back his beverage, his eyes lost. Orana gave Poe a gentle pat on the back. She could feel he was disappointed by the look of his face but he managed to shift the conversation.

The three members of the Resistance were enjoying the night. They talked about their numerous times spent together with tons of anecdotes. Orana tried to catch up with them and learned about what happened during her one-year absence - Jessika had split with her girlfriend while Poe had been too busy to meet new guys. During that night, Orana also learnt that the First Order had destroyed multiple planets thanks to a new powerful invention.

While the three were in a deep, agitated conversation regarding who had the most annoying ex, someone interrupted them.

" We don't want Kylo Ren's girlfriend here."

Orana's grin vanished and she turned to see the faces of the voice. A man with a pale blue skin and dark long hair was staring at her. He seemed furious by Orana's presence. A dozen of people were standing behind him, their arms crossed against their chest. They were not pleased either.

His remark pissed Orana off. She stood up and looked at him defiantly. She was not in the mood to listen to him.

" I'm not his girlfriend. I'm Ben Solo's wife." she firmly said, her hands on her hips.

It made laugh some people. Not the man in front of Orana. He did not seem thrilled to be challenged. But Orana will not back off this time. She was fed up. Yes she was married to Ben Solo but that was not a reason to insult her. She had her place in the Resistance like any other people willing to help. Finn had been the proof of that .

Orana had not been a fool when they had discussed earlier on. She knew Finn had worked for the First Order - the way he walked was similar to Stormtroopers. She had felt the distress of Finn when she had questioned him. But did his past prevent him from saving people? No, it had not.

" I don't care who you fuck, Solo. But you're not part of the Resistance. You left."

" The First Order was about to find us. I needed to protect my children."

Orana's explanation did not satisfy the man. The eyes on her did not help Orana either - she felt trapped. She could feel the Force but was adamant to refuse using. She could resolve this situation without it...could she though?

Orana sighed and focused on the man who was still in front of her. The Force was her only way to solve the case peacefully. No one will notice it. She stared straight at him and clearly said " You don't want to bring trouble here, right?"

The man's eyes softened and emotionless he repeated what Orana has just said " I don't want to bring trouble here. Right"

"Then, apologize and go entertain yourself somewhere else, okay?" Orana continued, using the power of persuasion. She was actually surprised by the fact it had functioned. It had been a while since the last time she had used it.

" I apologize and I will entertain myself somewhere else" replied the man who vanished ten seconds later.

Orana exhaled out of relief and looked at her friends whose mouths were open. They were both surprised by what just occurred.

" What?"

Jessika shook her head in disbelief "How did you manage that?The guy is a notoriously pain in the ass, Orana. He never loses an argument...He could have beaten the shit out of you!"

" Diplomacy is my thing, remember?"

Poe looked at her, pessimistic about Orana's explanation. That did not have any sense at all. "You're sure you did not do anything, Orana? The whole thing looked weird to me."

"You're drunk, Poe. And I promise I did not do anything" lied Orana.

When she sat back, she heard something calling her. A whisper. In her head. Orana thought a first that Ben would appear once again out of nowhere. But that wasn't Ben who was talking. That was an another ghost from the past.

That was Padmé.

Orana never heard Padmé's voice but in spite of that, she was certain of the voice's identity. She tried to focus on the whisper but with the cheers and noises from the bar, it revealed to be a difficult task. She excused herself to her two friends and headed towards the bathroom. Silence replaced the noisy crowd and Orana managed to distinguish what Padmé was telling.

 _ **"He wants to help you. Anakin, all I want is your love [...] I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart"**_

Orana gasped for air. Tears were fulfilling her eyes without her noticing. It was as if she could feel Padmé's pain. Her heart was beating baster, her cheeks got hotter due to an invisible heat. And suddenly, Orana got breathless - something or someone seemed to choke her thanks to an invisible. Thanks to the Force actually.

 **"Let her go, Anakin. LET. "**

Orana was pushed against the wall. She touched her neck. It was sore and she winced at the contact of it. She was nevertheless able to breathe normally again. Relieved, she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror.

However, her reflection was not hers.

Padmé was gazing at the young woman.

 **"Save him" she pleaded**

 _"Save who? "thought Orana_. But she did not manage to reply something - Padmé had already vanished.

 **Hey guys ! Hope you're enjoying the story so far :) Likes & comments are highly cherished. Constructive reviews too ;)**

 **See you next week for an another chapter !**

 **Kassioppe**


	5. CHAPTER FOUR Death is a natural ()

"Are you with us, Orana?"

Orana looked up - Leia was gazing at her, waiting for her to answer. The young woman simply nodded and tried to stay concentrated.

She had to admit - yesterday evening had been quite agitated with that whole Padmé vision. She had barely found sleep and it impacted her lack of concentration of today. Poe, Jess, Finn and her had been summoned by General Organa for a private discussion. The topic of the day ? How to prevent The First Order from finding Luke and Rey?

" It seemed they knew that the girl is on her way to find him" Leia had revealed earlier. That was not good news for the Resistance. It meant there were probably spies who had eavesdropped about that . It could even be worse - those spies could be part of the Resistance, hidden in a corner.

For about thirty minutes, Poe and Leia were talking military strategy non stop whereas Orana was staring at the floor, waiting for their endless conversation to end. She never had shown interests for military technical language. She only dreamt of being Leia Organa - an eminent political figure who would fight for social justice. But the dream had for a while vanished in Orana's head as she had a First Order to fight now and two kids to raise.

Orana took a glance at Finn - he was listening to the other two in a very serious way. He was nodding from times to times to show his approval , his arms on his hips. Orana was however tired to have to listen to this gibberish language and decided to make her opinion heard for once.

" Maybe we should ask some help" she managed to say.

Four pair of eyes look at her. Poe's wincing showed his skepticism - how the hell could they ask help when no one could be trusted ? Orana needed to learn some basic military strategies. Jessika looked as unconvinced as Poe while Finn and Leia were waiting for her to explain in further details what she meant.

" If we send someone trustworthy to seek for information, at least we would be aware of how much information the First Order has in its hands. We would not stand in the shadow anymore". she explained.

" And do we have someone like that in our ranks , Orana ? Who do you have in minds?" Poe asked , his eyebrows frowned and his lip twitching.

" Han could manage to have ..- "

Poe cut her off immediately " Han , Orana? But he is..."

Orana glanced at her friend. His eyes darkened at the mention of her father-in-law. It was true she had not seen Han for a long time but she knew he was not so much into the Resistance. He always had preferred his Falcon to the cause. Besides, since Ben had disappeared, he rather stayed away from the place -there were too many memories of the ghost of his son here.

Poe and Finn looked at each other while Jessika was staring in horror at Orana. "Why the hell do they look at me like this? " she thought. Did she have make a mistake by bringing up Han ? She could feel the cold atmosphere of the room. Her hands were colder too. She could feel somehow her friends' fear as her incomprehension grew bigger.

Finn broke the freezing silence . " No one told her?" he asked quite pissed off. That was the first time Orana had seen him angry like that. So odd, she thought.

Jessika answered but her eyes still gazing at Orana " I thought she knew. I mean, it's the most talked news in the entire Galaxy."

Orana got even more lost. What did she miss? She glanced at Poe too seek for some answers. His jaw was tense and he looked quite bitter. No way he would spill the secret. Orana sighed - this little comedy was enough. They did need to sugarcoat her - she could bear anything.

" No one has told me what? You all are starting to freak me out"

Leia's eyes softened. It was her duty to reveal to Orana what happened. Not because she was the one ruling this place or the Resistance. No, it was her duty to tell Orana because she was Han's family. He always had liked the girl and she always had enjoyed his company.

Leia sat besides the young woman and put her hand on Orana's right shoulder.

" Han is dead, my child. A few days before you arrived, actually".

Orana shook her head. Han Solo was not dead. He could not. The man invincible - he had escaped Death so many times . Han Solo was always victorious over Death. Always. But when she looked at the three other people to check if what Leia had just said was true or not, she only saw three heads staring at the floor.

"It can't be true" she muttered, her eyes widening due to the shock.

Finn answered her . " I saw it with my own eyes. He helped me to find Rey who had been abducted by Snoke."

Orana looked fiercely at the young man. She could detect sadness but also bitterness. "How?"

"He got killed" he briefly explained.

" By whom?"

Finn hesitated for a moment. He looked at Leia who nodded at him as a sign of approbation. He swallowed and answered Orana's question.

"By his son"

His son? ... Orana realized what Finn meant. Ben. Ben had killed Han. Shit. Shit. Shit. Ben had killed Han. Ben had killed his father. Unbelievable. Impossible. She knew he had turned to the Dark Side even though it was still painful to say it loud, but she would never had imagined that to happen. Ben could not have done that.

Orana's hands were shaking furiously. Her breath got ragged and she started to hear voices. Not from the four people surrounding her though - she could hear Padmé speaking to a man.

 **"Padmé, I need your help. He is in grave danger."**

 **"From the Sith?"**

 **"From himself. Padmé, Anakin has turned to the Dark Side."**

 **"You're wrong! How could you even say that?!"**

Orana felt bitter. Rage was spreading in her body and she did not know how to make the furious shakings was an asshole - how could he possibly ... Not only he had killed his father, but he had also killed at the same occasion an husband and a grandfather. It pissed Orana off greatly and the shock she had first experienced was progressively replaced by wrath. As a consequence, her fists clenched tightly and her mouth twitched.

" Control your anger, Orana" advised Leia who was still patting the young woman's shoulder.

" I can't, Leia."

Finn frowned. Why would Orana need to control her anger? She was fucking right to be mad at that moment. Her husband was a murderer who just had killed his father.

" Yes you can, Orana. Don't let that thing touch you. "

Finn interrupted the little duo. "Sorry , but why do I have the sense that this conversation has a double meaning?"

Orana gazed at him. She sighed and looked at Poe and Jess. They never had known about the Force. They would probably mad to discover it after five years of friendship.

"You're right Finn. There is a secret only Leia knew about. I was born in a family who was working for the First Order. My brother and my father still are.." she whispered sadly before going on" But surprisingly, I was born with the Force. That was uncommon in my family and therefore, I was asked to hide it. When I was able to run away from home, I found a shelter under Leia's roof. I was in the process of mastering it when Ben left... Since then, I don't use it anymore but it never lets me go. When you're scared and angry, being "gifted" as they say are not the best receipt"

Poe gasped as he heard the news while Jessika maintained with success a serious face but it did not mean she was not under the shock of the news as well. Orana could see the disappointment in Poe's eyes. After all, she had kept that secret from him while she claimed he was her closest friend... Who would not have thought betrayed after that?

Poe left the room, exasperated and Jessika followed him without being told to do so - Poe was a born leader. No one would contradict him, especially not Jessika who knew the importance of hierarchy in an alliance. There were rules to follow and that was it. Finn was more reluctant to leave however and he glanced at Leia uneasily before exiting the room.

There were only Orana and Leia left after that. Orana did not know what to say. She just had crashed Leia's reunion after all. Leia should be furious but her face only showed a weak smile on her lips.

And it was in that moment Orana realized something - Leia had lost Han. Her husband. The man she had loved since her twenties - she had loved him, sometimes argues with him and even fought with him. He was dead and she still was here, in spite of that. She was solacing a young woman like Orana while no one had solaced her before. That woman was quite something.

" Why are you still here, ruling the place, Leia? You've lost everyone you care about" Orana asked, whispering the question.

Leia shook her head " There is still you, the girls, Luke and Ben ... somehow. I'm still here because it is the right thing to do." she explained calmly.

" I'm a mess, Luke has disappeared for years without contacting you and Ben has turned into the Dark Side... We don't deserve your love , Leia."

General Organa took Orana's hand " It's not true, Orana."

"Ben killed Han, Leia. He is unforgivable."

" My brother said something quite accurate one day on that matter - "Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you "

It made Orana roll her eyes. Leia was way too much kind. She always forgave anyone no matter the bad decision of other. That, for Orana, was quite a mystery. Because Orana Solo was the opposite of Leia Organa - she was the spiteful type. She could hold a grudge against someone for eternity. And by "eternity", Orana really meant "eternity".

Seeing the skepticism of her daughter-in-law, Leia furthered her explanation.

" I do think we're born with a mission to fulfill in that Galaxy. Luke was given the Force to make this world more balanced while I was born however to maintain that balance."

Orana pondered on Leia's words. If each person was given a mission , what was hers? What was Ben's? She looked at her mother-in-law to ask her the question but it was vain as Leia interrupted her.

 **"That, my child, is not my duty to tell."**

The next day, Poe Dameron was pacing up and down the many corridors of the Resistance. He had poorly slept and that was probably due to the yesterday meeting he had. He was still annoyed by Orana's revelation. Not that he was bothered by her having the Force - it was quite common in the Skywalker dynasty - but her not telling him was quite a disappointment. Finn had tried in vain to defend her while Jessika had kept her mouth shut - she did not want to be the target of Poe's anger.

Poe remembered one of the numerous defenses uttered by Finn yesterday night. "We all have our secrets, right?" That sentence had been uttered years before by Orana when the two had met. Now he better understood why she had said such things. But contrary to her, he never lied to anyone, especially to her.

He knocked at the door of General Organa's office and walked in. She had sent him a message earlier that morning for a private meeting. There was no way for him to run away from it - she was the General while he, a simple soldier.

"Sit down, Commander Dameron. " she gestured to the chair with a smile.

Poe executed Organa's order and sat in the chair.

" So, why did you want me to see me, General?"

"I know you must feel disappointed by yesterday but there are greater matters to deal with. I need you to stay focus and cooperative, are we clear Commander ?" Ogana asked with a firm tone, still with a warm smile.

Poe nodded. She still had not answered Poe's question though.

" So, I presume Astra and Ester have it too..."

"You presume good. But they don't know about it yet. Neither about their father. We will deal with those matters when my brother will come back."

Poe's eyes widened. Luke Skywalker was about to come back? About to join the Resistance? Organa nodded at him, as if she could feel his bewilderment.

" You're still ready for your next mission? Only your teammates need to be aware of it. It needs to stay secret... with all those spies spilling information..."

Poe dared to cut her off " You have my words."

It made Leia smile. Poe's behavior reminded her of his mother's - the same dedication to the cause, the same desire to help and to serve .. Poe was even worse - he always was putting himself first in danger , risking his life more than he should. It frightened Leia sometimes - did the man not have someone in his life? It seemed the only purpose of Poe Dameron's life was the Resistance. She hoped it will change soon though.

"You're free to leave" she said.

Poe nodded and left. He needed to reach the hangar - Jess had tried to contact him. Arrived, he spotted his friend in a agitated conversation with ... Finn. Since when the two were hanging out? As he approached the two of them, Finn glanced at him in horror and hastily left the room. What was happening behind his back?

" Why did Finn leave like that?"

Jessika spun around. She had not seen her friend coming. She flushed, trying to hide her embarrassment "What are you doing there, Dameron? You don't have newbies to train today?"

" Spill the beans, Jess. I'm no fool, what's going on?"

Jessika looked at her feet. Poe was not liking what she had to say.

"Finn came to talk to me. Apparently, there are some guys who are making fun of him because he was a Stormtrooper. He asked me for advice - he does not want to put you in trouble if he kicked some asses."

Poe looked at her friend, speechless. Firstly, who the hell would make fun of Finn? He had saved anyone's butt here. Secondly, why Finn was hesitated ? He should know by now that Poe would always side by him.

" I'm going to make them dismiss. End of the discussion." he stated, his fists clenched.

"Don't do that, Poe. It will only look like favoritism and it could only get worse. Besides, you don't need to babysit him. Finn can handle himself. He survived the First Order. "

Poe sighed. He knew Finn was not a child. The guy had saved him from a probable death. He owed him. Making him comfortable was the least Poe could do.

" I could make them transfer even though I would prefer to kick them out." he offered

Jessika rolled her eyes. Poe really needed to stop acting like a shining knight in armor.

" Ask an another Commander then. People are speaking, Poe. There are rumors...It seemed everyone here knows that you love Finn."

Poe suddenly blushed "I'm not in love with Finn."

"If it helps you to sleep better at night, Poe" she huffed.

Dinnertime arrived quickly and soon, Poe was eating with Jess and Poe.

"I heard some dudes got transferred that afternoon. I did not know that was possible" Finn said, gazing at Poe.

Poe behaved as innocent as he could " Really ? I was not aware neither. You, Jess?"

She prevent herself from giggling. Finn seemed genuinely unaware that Poe had been behind that trick. Dameron had in fact suggested the idea to one of the other commander who needed more soldiers since the destruction of the Starkiller Base. While Finn was gone, looking for a edible dessert, Jessika burst into laughter.

"You suck at lying, Dameron" she giggled " But still, that was sweet. You must really like Finn , don't you?"

Poe looked at her friend, smiling. He nodded briefly. _Yes, Poe really likes Finn._

 _Hi ! I hope you're still enjoying the story so far ! Reviews and favorites are really appreciated but don't hesitate to DM me if you want to talk about the story or Sar wars ! I would love getting know you better :) Next chapter is huuuuge and I can't wait to show it to you :)_

 _Have a good day and see you next week !_

 _Kassioppe_


	6. CHAPTER FIVE Reckless he is

"Do it again and this time, try to be focused"

Rey sighed. Luke had asked her for the thousandth times to move that rock. It was pointless - the rock didn't seem to obey . She had successfully moved tiny stones the previous days but that one was huge. That was too big to move for Rey. She did not believe she could do it.

" This is way too big. I can't possibly move that thing."

Luke smiled. Rey reminded him of someone he had encountered earlier in his life... He could still hear the younger version of himself telling to Yoda the same exact thing.

" Size matters not, Rey. This thing is only too big in your mind. Do it again." he instructed.

Rey nodded and stared at the stone. As she exhales, she tries to push the negative energies away from her. She tries to "feel" the Force surrounding her- one of the first tips given by Luke at the beginning of her apprenticeship -but she quickly had to face the harsh reality - the stone had not moved from an .

" I told you - I can't"

"You must feel the Force around you, Rey. Do it again."

" I won't. You want the impossible", retorked the girl on a harsh tone.

Now was Luke's turn to sigh. The girl was stubborn and her lack of confidence was blurring her training. If only she could see what Luke could see ... As days went by, Luke had the sensation they were both losing their time. Rey had made tiny progresses. That was not enough if she wanted to defeat the First Order. And maybe the girl was not the one to blame for that disaster - Luke had his share of responsibilities too. He was not Obi Wan, even less Yoda - maybe he did not deserve the Master title. After all, he had given up on...-

"Master?"

Luke rose his head. He had once again let painful memories invade his thoughts. Rey might find him odd. The girl had probably heard stories about him and the reality was probably a disappointment for her. "The" ultimate legend of the Rebels had ended up as a caveman living on a deserted island.

" Take a break. We'll start in a few minutes. And this time, I want you to believe in what you're doing, okay? Cause if you don't believe you can move a rock, how could you possibly believe you'll defeat the First Order?" Luke said firmly.

Rey looked at her feet, ashamed. Master Luke was right - she needed to trust herself more. To give herself some credit. But that was a difficult task for our heroine - she never had been told she was worth it. Back on Jakku , she never once heard someone compliment her. She never received those kind of things...until she met the Resistance. Those people had believed in her abilities and not only regarding the Force. Not only they had believed in her , but they had also encouraged her. Especially Finn and Leia and... Han.

The memory of the emblematic Millennium Falcon pilot was still painful. During the short - too short for Rey- lapse of time she had spent with Solo, he had behaved like a father-like figure towards Rey. For once in her life, she had felt protected somehow. He was a legendary pilot and she felt safe with him. She never had knew safety before. And for that precious feeling, she would forever be grateful.

She glanced in the direction of Luke. He had his back leaned against one of the numerous rocks and was staring at the ocean. Rey remembered what Han had said about Luke's disappearance when she had asked why Skywalker had left.

" **He was training a new generation of Jedi. One boy, an apprentice, turned against him, destroyed it all. Luke felt responsible. He just walked away from everything."**

And here he was , standing in front of her. He looked tired but first and foremost , he looked as if something was eating him from the inside. Guilt? Remorse ? And it seemed to Rey at least that the entire problems of the Galaxy were leaning on his square shoulders.

Luke could feel the girl's eyes on him but his mind was too much haunted by the memory of a ghost to care. Ben was the main preoccupation of Skywalker at that precised moment. The guilt had never vanished neither the regrets stuck to it. He had let the boy down. He had let his nephew down.

He should have acted nicer. He should have seen the signs. But he had not - he had been too busy with training other apprentices. He had thought Ben would have been the wisest of them all - after all, he was well aware of the possible damages of the Force. His grandfather was Darth Vader.

Luke closed his eyes and let the memories invade him, once again.

 _" What's the matter, Ben? I've heard you fought with guys today? You mother called me."_

 _Luke could hear Ben sighing at the other side of the line. That was not the first time the young boy had used violence to solve his problems at school but that time, he apparently used the Force without noticing. It had worried Leia who had immediately put her brother in the confidence. She had however not dared to call Han - that was an often subject of arguments between the two - and she had preferred therefore to seek help with Luke. Besides, he was the most fitted to deal with that problem - he was a Jedi after all. Only him could lead Ben on the_ _good path. That was at least what Leia believed._

 _" You know her - she made a big deal out of nothing. I'm fine and the guys are still breathing. No needs to worry" Ben answered._

 _You didn't need to be a Jedi to feel the anger in Solo's son's voice. Rage was in every single word he uttered. But that was not what worried Luke Skywalker. Ben was obviously experiencing a difficult childhood - his parents were often absent and he had troubles with making friends as being Darth Vader's grandson was not something appreciated in the Galaxy. It was natural for the boy to feel angry and bitter at the unfairness of his situation. However, being angry and not controlling one's anger were two different matters and that was the later which preoccupied Luke._

 _" Violence will not solve your problems, Ben. Especially in your case. You know that -"_

 _Luke got interrupted by Ben. " Yes I know the song, Luke : Beware of the dark side." he said with cynicism in his voice before adding, always on the same cynical tone "Fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny ...bla bla bla , just like what happened to my grandfather. No need to remind me the melody, Uncle."_

 _" So why are you not putting what I've told you into execution? Ben, sometimes I don't understand you..." Luke muttered the second part of the sentence. He did not want to upset his nephew even more_.

 _" Cause it was stronger that way, Luke. Violence is stronger than words. At least, violence is efficient"_

 _Luke shook his head. Leia would be frightened if she could hear Ben say what he just had said His nephew had so much things to lean and the sooner would be the better. Leia was still reluctant though and she had asked Luke to delay the training. She wanted that Ben spend his childhood like any normal children. But that was a mistake according to Luke. Ben was not a normal kid - he needed to control the Force and those kind of lessons were not provided in everyday schools._

 _"You're wrong, Ben. The Dark Side is quicker, easier and seductive but yet, it is not stronger than the Good Side of the Force."_

 _"But how am I to know the good side from the bad ? No one would explain me. Mum is nearly living in her office while Dad is always on a new journey..._ "

 _Luke only felt pity for the boy. There was much anger in him...like his grandfather. Reckless?Ben Solo definitely was. And it could cost him his life one day._

 _" You will know... when you are calm, at peace, passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, NEVER for attack." , he gently explained, recalling what had Yoda told him on the subject years ago._

 _" You're always answering vaguely with some metaphysical sayings... " Ben sighed before adding "Maybe they're right after all"_

 _"Who?" Luke asked, his eyes frowned_

 _" People. At the Senate, at school... Maybe they're right... Maybe it is time for the Jedi to end."_

Luke had found Ben foolish to say such things back then. But now, he was starting to think his nephew might have a point. That battle between the Good and the Evil was endless - it will never stop. The end of the Empire had marked the birth of the First Order and surely, the destruction of Snoke's army will only mean the construction of an another.

 **Maybe Ben had a point. Maybe it was time for the Jedi to end after all.**

 _ **Meanwhile, on an unknown location...**_ _._

Ben exhaled out of relief when his body found the soft mattress of his bed. The training had been...intense. Too intense. In fact, he had not reached Snoke's expectations and had been dismissed by the Supreme Leader.

His abilities had weakened in the past days and this flaw was starting to be noticeable by Snoke... who had not been pleased.

Ben was not enjoying his state neither. He was not used to feel that weak. It had been a while since he had not felt this tingling sensation - the Good Side calling him again. That was the strangest sensation but oddly - it made him glad. Maybe there was hope for him...even after what he had done... "No", he thought, trying to push the thought away - it was foolish from him to think like this. He had made his choice. There was no going back possible.

The image of Han Solo falling in the void was haunting him, day and night. What was he thinking that day? He shouldn't have.. He shouldn't have.

Ben stood up abruptly. Yes he should have and he had because it had been the right thing to do. Besides, it was pointless to ponder on that matter - what was done couldn't be undone. This internal conflict was nevertheless eating him alive. He took a glance at the mirror - the scar was clearly visible. He caressed it slightly but the view of it repulsed him. That scar was a proof of his weakness. He had let a traitor to hurt him. He had let his guard down. That had been a mistake and he would make sure to not repeat it twice.

He sat on the edge of the bed and gazed at his mask. He had stopped wearing it - it had been a lame attempt at looking like his grandfather. But as Snoke had rightly reminded him - Darth Vader was unique and so needed Ben to be. The shadow of his ancestor never left him truly in peace and there were nights during which Ben could hear him. Fragments of Anakin Skywalker's past.

It was most of the time Anakin speaking about Padmé. Padmé seemed to have been Anakin's anchor. Oddly, Ben never couldn't help himself but to make parallels with what he had experienced with Orana. He missed her deeply but their separation had been necessary. He had done it for her and he hoped that one day, she will understand.

Ben exhaled and took the book which was put on the bedside table and opened it. In it, tons of notes Ben had written during his brief passage at Luke's were inscribed. He looked at it times to times, as a reminded of his past.

On page seven, Ben got caught by one note. A quote from Yoda which Luke had used during one of the lessons he had given to the class of apprentices.

 **"The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose"**

For once, Ben agreed with Yoda. The fear of losing her had caused him to join the First Order. Sometimes, he wished he and Orana were normal people. No Force. He always wondered what would have happened to them in that case. The Force was supposed to balance the Galaxy - regarding Ben and Orana , it had done the contrary. It had shattered them.

Suddenly, Ben saw words forming on the book. It never occurred before and he did not know that was even possible. There were rumors of ghosts, appearing under different forms, circulating in the Galaxy, but Ben had never really payed attention to them. He always had thought those urban legends were only part of the folklore of the Galaxy ; after all, people needed stories to cling to in order to live. Cause without stories to cling to, without characters to identify with, what was the point of living ? Stories, even the strangest of them all, were calling for adventures to live. At least, that was what Ben's mother had always told him. And it had comforted him as the scared kid he had been.

Stunned, he made no moves, afraid to make -whatever what that was- vanish. When the sentence had completely been shaped by the anonymous author, Ben got startled. Stupefaction was shaping his face.

 _ **" There is still good in him. I know there's still good in Ben. He was my friend, my confident, my lover and my husband... I just can't live without him, you see?**_ "

Ben stared at the page. The author was no longer anonymous. Orana was the one behind this sentence, there was no doubt permitted. Ben closed the book and thew it away violently. He shook his head. He would never open that thing ever again. It would be too risky.

But as his uncle had perfectly once told him , "Reckless he was".

 _ **Meanwhile, at the Resistance...**_

Orana was hurtling through the many corridors which made up the Resistance. She just had heard the news - Poe's Squadron had left for a secret mission given by the General Organa. It made fume the young woman who was now on her way to talk to Leia. Not that she was angry at her mother-in-law for not telling her about the mission. No, that had been a reasonable thing to do - secret missions needed to stay secret . But why the hell Poe had left without saying goodbye ?

Okay, the two friends were not on the best terms since what happened two days ago but leaving without saying goodbye was unforgivable for Orana. What if Poe happened to die during that mission ? The last memory that Orana would have of him would be Poe being furious because of her. It would be unbearable and it would only add pain to her grief.

"Stop yourself, Orana. You can't think that way. He is not going to die. It's impossible. He is a master in his field...he can't possibly die.." she told to herself, in an desperate attempt to push her fears away. But being a master of flying was not enough to survive to this - Han Solo had been the proof of that. You could be the best pilot of the Galaxy, it did not mean you won't die out of a terrible and painful death.

The thought of Poe dying curdled Orana's blood. She shook her head to make the awful image disappear and reached the common room. She tried to find Leia , unsuccessfully but she spotted Finn, seated on bench. As she neared him, she could detect the tension in his muscles - the young man seemed as worried as she was. For the sake of us, Orana would try to stay composed. There was no need to amplify Finn's anxiety.

"Hi" she whispered.

He managed an answer, barely audible though. She sat besides him in silence. What the hell could the two of them talk about? Their only common interest was Poe.

" Did he tell you about the mission?" she asked

Finn nodded "Only ten minutes before leaving. He knows well how to keep secrets. I'm impressed. Jessika has left too"

There was a mix of irony and bitterness in his voice. Orana could understand - Poe and Finn were really close. It might be hard to see one of your closest friends to leave like that. Even though Finn was perfectly integrated in the Resistance now, Poe was still the one mattering the most for the former Stormtrooper. Orana had heard that the two were spending most of their time together.

" Poe puts his duty towards the Resistance first and foremost. " Orana explained, her arms crossed against her chest. " Did he tell you he would come back?"

"Yes"

"Then, he will come back. Poe is a man of words. Don't worry Finn. He is the best pilot of the Resistance, I can assure you."

Finn nodded but it did not mean he was convinced by Orana's words. You can't escape death, especially during those dark times. Every step outside could be your last. And Poe was not an exception - he almost died when they landed in emergency on Jakku and Finn still did not know how Poe had managed to survive. It was a miracle. Poe was a miracle.

There was a long silence after that. Orana nor Finn did not know what to say. Orana was the wife of Kylo Ren who, had tried to kill Finn after all. Finn was having a hard time to talk to the young woman but not because of her marriage - it seemed she had not seen her husband for years now- but because of her relationship with Poe. Finn had seen how the two had hugged tightly the night of Orana's arrival. It had sparkled something in Finn. Poe never hugged him that way. So speaking to Orana was weirder because if the two were dating ...

" I don't want to pry but...who is Poe to you?" Finn asked the question bluntly.

It startled Orana - why did she have the strange impression that this conversation was getting weirder and weirder? She managed to answer though. "I'm his friend. We know each other for about five years now."

" But you're not...I mean... he is not your ... boyfriend?"

Finn had no idea of he managed to ask this question and he dreaded to see Orana's reaction. Therefore, he stared at the floor, hoping she would not make fun of him.

"Finn? Look at me please."

He did what he was told and was surprised by Orana's giant smile. Why did she look happy? Wasn't she supposed to feel offended and pissed off by Finn's intrusive question? Finn was quite perplex.

"I'm not Poe's girlfriend. I can assure you that" she said.

"Oh" was all what Finn was able to say.

Orana could see how much Finn was uneasy. Maybe Poe's cause was not so lost after all. Jessika had probably helped greatly to this achievement though - she seemed to be the first FinnPoe shipper of the whole galaxy. In order to help her friend, Orana decided to go further in her explanation.

"I'm not Poe's style actually" she added, smiling. She hoped it would be enough for the young man to understand what she meant by that.

" So what is Poe's style?", Finn asked, genuinely .

Orana had thousands of way to answer that question - _**Men. Not Women. YOU.**_ But she had not the chance to reply something as someone ran in their direction.

"You're Orana Solo? And you're Finn"?"

Two nodded, not understanding what was going on.

"Come with me. The General wants to see you immediately. Something happened to your friends."

Without thinking twice, Finn and Orana joined the officer. They arrived, breathless, in the main room. Only top ranked military representatives, politicians, and Squadron leaders were usually allowed to be here.

"Leia, what happened?" Orana's voice was shaking due to the fright.

The General patted Orana's shoulder and took Finn's hand in hers. They would not like what she was about to announce them. She definitely hated that part of her job but she had to in spite of all. She had committed herself to the Resistance and she will not shrink from it.

" Apparently, Poe's Squadron got attacked. One of our reconnoitering team had found their ships destroyed. The chance of finding survivors is scarce... I'm sorry"

Orana looked immediately at Finn. He looked lost, his eyes void of emotion. He only briefly nodded and sat in a corner of the room. She felt sad for him. He did not deserve to go through things like that. He had already suffered greatly - he had spent his life at the First Order's mercy. He had his share of hurdles. It should have been enough. He should be spared.

"Mama!"

Orana spun around. Astra and Ester were running towards her. She managed to catch Astra first and hugged her daughter tightly. She dreaded the moment she would have to reveal what happened to Poe. The girls loved Poe so much and they had barely spent times with him since they came back here...

"What are the two of you doing here?" she asked with a fake smile on her face.

Ester answered with a soft voice. She always had been the calmest of the two while Astra was the loudest. " C-3PO brought us here."

"I see."

"Oh there is Uncle Finn! " Astra exclaimed and without asking for permission, she headed towards the man.

Orana followed her daughter. That was not a good idea. Finn probably wanted to be alone for the time being.

" Are you okay, Finn? You seem sad" Astra said while Ester was taking Finn's hand in hers. The two kids were looking at him with worried eyes. They had understood right away that something was wrong with him

" I miss Poe and Jessika, that's all." he explained. Finn met Orana's eyes and both nodded to each other. There was no need to stress the two girls... Poe and Jessika might be alive... Who knows?

" It's not polite to lie. That's what Mama tells us every time... I can feel it : you're hiding something." whispered Ester.

Finn didn't have the chance to answer anything to Orana's second daughter as someone barged into the room. He stood at the center of the room and talked to Leia.

"General, someone wants to enter the basement."

Whispers flooded the room but Leia gestured her hand, asking for some silence.

"Explain yourself, Commander."

" The ship looked like the Millennium Falcon, Ma'm but there is no guaranty that it is not a trap."

Finn rose on his feet "That could be Rey, General."

The Comander winced at Finn's suggestion. " We've scanned the ship and there are more than three people in that thing... The First Order could have stolen it from them and-"

Orana interrupted the man "We're talking about Luke Skywalker, the greatest Jedi alive, Commander. The First Order wouldn't have be able to defeat him with ten men." she added, talking to Leia more precisely "Send me with a reconnaissance unit. I'm the only one here who had seen Luke before. If it's a trap, we'll attack them."

Orana's suggestion made Leia wince. She did not like frankly the idea of putting her daughter-in-law at risk. Her granddaughter had only one parent and that mission could be dangerous. However, at that precised moment, there was not other option left. Unwillingly, she agreed to Orana's plan

Finn promised he would look after the girls during the operation and Orana, even though he had wanted to badly to go with her. She followed the Commander and took the blaster handed by an another soldier. The door opened and she looked at the ship. It did not look damaged but she stayed cautious - the First Order was clever enough to hide any proofs of fights before landing here.

As she approached, her heart beat faster. It had been a while since she had ventured herself in a mission like that. She had missed the adrenaline though. Two meters were separating her from the entrance of the Falcon.

"Open the door and put your arms behind your head. If I see any of you moving, I'll shoot and I'll shoot first.I can guarantee you that."

The door opened and she let a gasp escape from her mouth. How the hell was it possible? They should be dead. At least, that was what Orana had thought barely ten minutes ago. Life was full of suprises.

" Always a bossy tone during mission, Orana. What? You're not happy to see me again?"

Poe was wearing a cocky smile on his face. His forehead was sweaty and stains of blood could be seen on his cheeks. But Orana did not care for his appearance and she jumped into his arms.

" I thought you were dead, you dumbass! You're always so reckless. Never frighten me like that again. You could have died hating me... And my last memory of you would have been you...hating me... I swear Dameron - "

"Hush, Orana. It's okay. We're all well and alive..." Poe replied, tightening his grip. He kissed her forehead as a friendly gesture. He had missed her and to be true, he had regretted not saying goodbye to her the moment he had put a feet on the ship.

" But how did you all manage to ...?"

Orana never had the chance to finish her sentence as someone stepped out of the Falcon. She got mute.

"You have not changed, Orana."

Orana's eyes widened. She was speechless. She stared at the male figure in front of her. She simply couldn't believe it. After all those years...he was front of her, was standing History. A legend. But most of all, in front of her was standing Family.

 **"Welcome home, Luke"**

 **Hello :) I hope you're still enjoying the story far :) Reviews help me to improve, so don't hesitate to leave an objective comment . I'm not a native English speaking person , so I hope my text isn't full of grammar mistakes and that the writing is not dull as well. Besides, you shoud have noticed by now but I'm not a Star Wars expert. My aim is not to be as precised as possible regarding the universe. I just happened to enjoy the characters and my only desire is to play with them and my ideas.**

 **See you next Monday and have a good week :)**

 **Au revoir :)**

Kassioppe


	7. CHAPTER VI:There's too much Vader in him

Orana could not help but stare at the man in front of her. She could not believe that it was real. It looked like an another damn vision. The woman blinked one more time but Luke was still here, an arm on Leia's shoulder.

Luke and Rey had been welcomed by thousands of eyes when they had entered the basement. No one dared to say something - the scene was too surreal to utter something. Silences had replaced the usual cheers.

They had rejoined Leia in the command room afterwards. Luke and Leia's reunion had felt surreal too. No one dared to say something to the other. They had only smiled and Luke had hugged his sister tightly for a few seconds. Leia's smile vanished in the instant Luke pulled out and both of them displayed a serious look on their faces. "The Resistance first" Orana thought. It did not even shock her - the siblings had the tendency for never showing any kind of emotions.

Orana glanced at Poe. Her friend was frowning in the opposite direction. She followed his gaze only to discover Finn chatting with Rey. The two were catching up and seemed to be in great spirits as their laughs was fulfilling the entire room. Orana bit her lips - she felt bad for Poe.

She had no time to dwell deeper on the subject though as Jessika broke the silence.

"So, what do we do now?"

No one dared to formulate an answer. People were staring either at Leia or at Luke, expecting them to make the first move. Jessika pushed one of the numerous buttons of the board panel and the image of Kylo Ren appeared.

"We have a First Order to defeat" she added.

Luke's eyes stared at the picture of his nephew, in horror. He could not detach his gaze from it. Orana could understand him - the face of Kylo Ren was frightening and it towered the whole room. His eyes were full of rage.

But Orana could not be taken by this anger flickering in the eyes of Ben. She knew him too well. There was no way he had given himself entirely to the Dark Side. She would have felt it otherwise. There was still good in him. At least, it was her deepest hope.

" If we find Ben, we find Snoke. After being defeated by Rey and Finn, Snoke probably wants to finish his training. We find the location and we destroy the place. "

Luke had made that suggestion without blinking twice. No remorse in his voice. Destroying would mean a bloodshed... The Resistance would look as bad as the First Order after that. Orana shook her head.

"But if we do this, there'll be no survivors" explained Poe.

As if Luke needed to be told that information. Orana winced - she had not missed the greatest Jedi of the galaxy or whatever shitty nicknames were given to Luke. She could see in everyone's eyes admiration and awe.

Even Poe, who ordinarily was the down-to-earth guy type was literally fanboying over the Jedi.

But contrary to most of them, Orana knew Luke Skywalker and the reality was far from being smooth. He had given up on Ben. He was the reason why Ben had left for the First Order. Ben had went to Luke's for training and never had come back. Something had happened there and that something had sparkled Ben's dark side. This was the only explanation possible.

When Orana had received Luke's video message, she had not believe him. Her eyes had shown not a single trace of emotion. She had been speechless for a few minutes, sat on a sofa. Leia had found her staring at the white opposite wall. She had looked like a fresh corpse back then."He is gone, Orana. He has turned himself to Snoke. It's over". The last word kept ringing in Orana's ears everyday . Over. Over. Luke had never fought for Ben. He had let the boy destroy his temple and kill those innocent lives. He should have done something. He should have...after all, wasn't he the best Jedi ever existed?

" I know, but we can't let Snoke destroy other planets. It's them or us. We need to put an end to this and quickly" Luke stated calmly.

Orana huffed "You should have come sooner if you wanted to solve this quickly."

Her answer made Luke sigh. Both of them always had the same repeated argument. The same argument for years. Ben.

" I was told you left for a year too, Orana."

Orana gave a quick glance at Poe, who blushed. Well, it seemed that Luke was well aware of her life. Great.

" You left him, Luke. You left him and you're responsible now for this mess" Orana grunted before adding "He trusted you and you let him fall into the darkness"

"Don't. Both of you." Leia said, tired of the bickering fights running in her family." We don't have time to rewrite what happened. It's done"

"Sorry but there was too much Vader in him." Luke mumbled.

A stiff atmosphere was still widely present. Orana's resentment towards Luke was still noticeable and the two were trying to avoid the other's eyes.

Despite their arguments, it was out of the question for Luke to not talk about the Force. He needed to know if she was back in the games or not. Rey will need other mighty allies. The girl could not defeat Snoke alone.

He exhaled and asked out loud  
" Rey can't be the only Jedi you have,Leia. Snoke is stronger than the Empire. He has more trained people than we have"

Leia sighed. She knew the odds were not in their favor. She looked at her brother and shook her head.  
"She is our only hope, Luke. At least for now"

Luke shook his head. He did not want to believe what her sister has just said. He rose his head and looked at his surrounding. He stared at the young man next to Rey and got stunned. The guy was Force sensitive. Slowly, he then looked at Orana. Her eyes were looking at the floor, trying to make herself as invicible as possible.

"No" he stated "There are another. Two in that room actually."

He could see Orana wincing at his words and he made him smile. As if he had forgotten her abilities. Orana was in fact powerful and if she had not stopped her training, she could have been as great as Rey. Now Luke could only feel Unstability. The young woman could fall for the Darkness at any moment. It was now or never.

"You still don't know how to control it?" Luke told Orana.

It made the woman's eyes flicker out of rage. How could he dare ask such things in front of everyone? She dismissed the question.

" I don't know what you're talking about, Luke"

" Don't play the fool with me, Orana. I can feel how conflicted you are."

People whispered and Orana bit her lips. She could feel her heartbeat quickened as her jaw tensed. But Luke did not stop here - he wanted to push her. He needed to know how angry she was.

" I suppose your two daughters have it too. I could teach them" he offered.

That was too much for Orana. Her daughters were a her striking chord and Luke knew it damn well. He was playing with her emotions just to see how she would react to his provocations. She faced Luke angrily. He wanted to show how angry she was? Well, she would show him if he didn't give up his horrendous idea.

" Leave my daughters out of this" she spat.

"Or what? You're going to kill me? You're being irresponsible. They need to learn otherwise they could end up like -"

Orana lost her temper "I told you to leave Astra and Ester out of this! " she shouted " They don't need you. It will disappear sooner or later. Besides... The Force does no good in your family."

Orana exhaled heavily. She could feel the stunned faces gazing at her, in disbelief. She turned around and left the room as quickly as she could without turning back when Luke called her name. She headed towards her room and shut the door abruptly behind her. She had fled but it had been the wisest decision. She had been on the verge of exploding in front of anyone.

Luke had wanted her to finish a proper training after Ben disappeared but she had refused to. If Luke had failed on her husband, it was pointless to try with her. She was an another lost cause. Luke had argued, saying that "there was too much Vader" in his nephew but it had been a lie. He had failed, that was all Orana needed to remember.

Besides, Orana had never wanted to be a Jedi or to control that damn thing they call "The Force". It never had done a good thing in that Galaxy. Not only it had shattered her husband, but it had also shattered Orana's own family, long before she had met Ben.

She stared at the ceiling. She could remember how the Force had been a problem during her childhood. She had been a burden to her parents and that was probably why her mother had left. But her mother had not been the only one afraid of Orana's abilities. Her father and her brother had also been the witnesses of it.

FLASHBACK

" Father, Orana had used the Force!" said a boy with ginger head.

Orana's father looked at her. He looked disappointed by her. Once again. He had forbidden her from using the Force and yet, she had failed at obeying him. She was useless to him.

" Bring the ruler, Son" he ordered, his eyes still fixed on his daughter who was on the verge of crying. After all, she was only seven years old.

The boy, slightly older than his sister, brought the object to his father a minute later. He was wearing a proud smile on his face - not because he wanted to inflict pain to her sister - but because the idea of pleasing his father was giving a great feeling of satisfaction.

The man took the small object in his hand and gestured with his hand for Orana to approach him. The little girl swallowed hard and tiptoed until she was in front of her dad. She dared not to look at him, though as she was too scared to his the disapproval - or worse, the dishonor- on his face.

" Look at me, Orana"

The little girl executed her father's wish , not without fear. She met his eyes and she could feel how disgusted he was by her abilities. She was the reason why her mum left after all. At least, that was what her dad had repeated, over and over.

" What have you done?"

" I used the Force but.. but... I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident , I swear " Orana stammered, trying to find the right words for justifying what happened.

She had been playing with her brother when suddenly, she had used the Force unconsciously and pushed her brother thanks to it. She had felt scared and fear had led to anger and anger had led to that result.

" You're a burden, Orana. That's why your mum left. You know you have to hide it. The First Order will not be as tolerant as me if they discover who you truly are."

Orana nodded. Her dad had told her over and over that the First Order did not like people with those abilities. People like Orana were to unstable and were useless if they were not tamed by a severe and harsh training. Orana's mum had refused to let that happen to her daughter and therefore, the two parents had agreed on hiding Orana's true capacities. But since her wife had left, Orana's father had been attracted to the idea of sending his daughter to the training. After all, she was born to be useful to the First Order just like his son who will succeed him as General in a few years.

" You hands "

Orana dreaded the moment but she nevertheless obeyed her father. That was that or being sent as a guinea pig to the First Order. Mum had told her how they whitewashed kids into violent beasts. Orana did not want to be like them. Orana wanted to be as kind as her mother.

Her father struck her tiny hands with the ruler and the little girl flinched under the pain. She bit her lips and looked at her brother. He did not seem appalled by his father's behavior but when he caught her sister's face, guilt banged him. What has he done ? He nearly regretted his action.

After ten blows , Orana's father stopped. He looked satisfied and smiled at his son.

"You did well, my son. You will be useful to the First Order one day." he then turned to Orana who had not cried during her punishment. She had stopped crying since the third time he had used that ruler on her fingers. " As for you, Orana, I hope you've learnt a lesson today. You need to learn how to hide that hideous power of yours. Otherwise, I would have to break my promise to your mum. Maybe you were born to serve under Snoke after all."

Orana stayed silent. She would not go to be trained by that man. He was hideous from the inside as well from the outside. She did not like him neither what he was inflicting to his trainees. She was barely seven but it did not mean she was a fool. She knew that the First Order was not the good guys they claimed to be.

Her father asked the two siblings to leave his office. When they were out of their sight, Orana glanced at her brother.

" Why did you tell Dad ? "

"To protect you from yourself." the young boy explained.

"Liar" she said " You only wanted to please Dad. As always"

" Yes but not only. You really need to learn to control that thing . Otherwise it will consume you... Dad may be right after all - maybe your destiny is to serve the Supreme Leader. "

END OF THE FLASHBACK

It was still painful to remember those childhood memories. She had grown up in a dark atmosphere. She was born for the Darkness. Even when she had fled for the Resistance, Orana had never left this part of her away. When she had met Ben, she had the sensation she had found someone like her. They were both trying to figure out what their destinies were and who they truly were.

He had been the first one to tell her something positive about the Force. "It's a gift. Don't you get it ? You're a gift". It sounded so ironical now. He had said such things when there was too much Vader in him. Orana had naively believed him, probably because she was totally enamored of Ben. It had been love at first sight.

But now, Ben's sentence sounded hollow. Turns out that this gift was starting more and more to look like a burden.

Hello :) Thank you for still following the story so far. It means a lot. Have a great week and see you next Monday ;)


	8. CHAPTER VII : Please, wait for me

The hangar was crowded that morning. Poe and Jessika were busy, checking the new ships built for the next attack on the First Order. Their opponent might had been defeated once, they had mighty weapons. Fatal ones who could cause disastrous casualties. Now was not the time to relax or to chill.

That was probably why Poe Dameron was so adamant at busting his ass right now. He felt responsible for the lives of his comrades. He needed to see their friends come back alive. Each loss was his responsibility. At least, that was what he firmly believed.

"Your boyfriend is here, Dameron."

Dameron rose his head abruptly and his forehead banged a wing of the ship. He winced due to the pain he just had inflicted himself and looked in Jessika's direction. He caught Finn….and Rey. No doubt Finn was showing her the surroundings. After all, she hadn't spent so much time there – she had left just a few hours after their victory.

"He is not my boyfriend. It's clear as crystal now" Poe replied, his lips twitching.

Jessika glanced at the two friends. She focused herself on young woman and smiled – Rey was truly charming.

"That girl is hot. You can't blame Finn for having gorgeous friends."

Poe looked at his friend, his mouth open as an obvious sign of surprise. Jessika was usually very silent when it came to girls. If Rey had caused that reaction, it could mean one thing – Jess was not indifferent to the new Jedi trainee.

"Have I heard what I thing I have heard? Jessika Pava is into the shining hero of the Resistance and she..."

Jessika cut her friend off abruptly. " Shut up, Dameron." Poe laughed and went back to his task.

While the two Resistance pilots were in a deep conversation regarding their latest crushes, Finn and Rey were visiting the huge hangar. Rey was quite impressed – she never had the chance to see so many people gathered in a small place. She had been used to the sand and the endless dunes of Jakku.

Finn had been his during her first days here and she was grateful to have a friend like him. She would have been lost otherwise and the thought of being babysat by Master Luke hadn't pleased her. Finn had proposed his services and she had eagerly accepted them.

While the two were in the hangar, she could see Finn searching with his eyes something. His friend was fidgeting and she could feel his obvious anxiety.

"Something's wrong?" she asked, worryingly.

Finn shook his head.

"No need to lie to me, Finn. I can feel how tense you are." she explained. "The perks of having the Force."

Her friend sighed. "I thought...I thought I would see Poe here. But there are so many people there… I can't find him."

Rey smiled. Finn had told her about Poe Dameron and it seemed Rey's friend was really attached to the pilot. She wondered if the feelings were reciprocated. Rey scanned the room and found in less than a minute Finn's friend. He was examining a ship with a girl.

"It's him, isn't it ?" she demanded, pointing her finger in the direction of the little figure.

Finn nodded and gulped. "Orana told me she wasn't dating him."

It made sense, at least to Rey. Luke had told her before their arrival about Ben's personal life. Orana's name had been several times mentioned and when they had rescued Poe and his unit, the pilot had also uttered her name. He had said that she was his best friend.

"You should ask him"

Finn shot a questioning look. Rey explained herself "You should ask Poe about his personal life. I'm sure he will answer your question honestly."

Finn didn't reply anything but Rey was not fooled by her friend's silence. She could feel his uneasiness. He led her in silence outside of the hangar and both friends took the direction of the training room. It had been specially created by the Resistance in order for Luke to train Rey. The walls had been painted in white and on the ceiling, the symbol of the Jedi had been drawn.

When they entered, they stopped themselves as they could hear two people arguing. Luke and Orana were in fact, in a deep and vivid discussion. Once again.

 _"_ _My daughters won't train. The Jedi had done enough damages like this in my family, Luke."_

 _"_ _You know Ben would have wanted them to train."_

 _"_ _Yes but Ben is gone now. He isn't aware of their existence….except if he had understood."_

Finn could hear a heavy silence reigning in the room. It seemed they were not arguing after all. Maybe he and Rey should leave and let them have a serious talk. That was not their businesses after all. Rey grabbed his arm though . " Don't you dare to leave, Finn" she whispered.

 _"_ _What are you talking about, Orana? What's wrong?"_

 _"_ _I've been having visions..." Orana's voice trailed off, afraid of revealing her burden " I can seehim. I can feel the agony eating him from the inside, Luke. And there are times I can hear voices… Padmé's mostly."_

Finn couldn't see Luke's expression but he could bet that he was caught off guard by this revelations.

 _"_ _And what was she telling you?"_

 _"_ _She told me that I needed to save him."_

Rey couldn't wait any longer. She opened the door and tried to look as innocent as possible. Finn followed her but he felt so bad for eavesdropping that private conversation. He only stared at the floor and tried to hide in the corner of the room.

Orana sat next to him. Luke had asked her to stay in order for her to see Rey's abilities. She had to admit – Luke's new apprentice was quite gifted. She had some capacities that even Ben had never had when he was training.

After a few exercises, Luke asked Orana's honest opinion about the girl. "She is quite impressive for a newbie" she answered sincerely without not a single bit of irony in her voice. It was a premiere. She usually displayed only bitterness regarding the Jedi. Luke smiled at Orana's answer – maybe she would join Rey soon and would become a Jedi too. There was still hope.

Luke seized this opportunity and opened a small box he had kept for years now. Orana gasped when she discovered what was inside of it. She was speechless.

"Do you really think I would haven't kept your lightsaber, Orana?"

"I though I destroyed it."

"You thought wrong. Take it"

Orana shook her head. "This part of my life is over, Luke."

It was now Luke's turn to shake his head. Orana was way too stubborn about this. " That part of your life is your destiny. Take it. I want you to have it."

Unwillingly, Orana grabbed the small object. Her hand was trembling. She glanced at Rey and Finn who were completely in awe. The light ignited and she could hear shock coming from behind. After all, they were right to be surprised. Not so many people had two colors – red and blue for Orana.

Regretting right away to have opened the saber, Orana shut it down and gave it back to Luke. She left the room whereas Poe and Jessika were coming in.

Poe shot a worried glance in Orana's direction but the woman had vanished once again. He then looked at Finn, hoping for an explanation.

While Finn was telling him the story of what had just occurred, Rey glanced shyly at the woman who was leaning against the wall. The girl looked gorgeous.

"Hello, my name is Rey. I'm Luke's apprentice" she explained without stammering.

Her interlocutor smiled. "I'm Jessika. I'm a pilot and Poe's friend."

Rey's eyes widened at the mention of Poe. Maybe Finn had been right to fear that Poe was already with someone. Poe and Jessika ? Seeing the distress on Rey's face, Jessika quickly added "I'm a friend as friendship. I do not date men if it's what's bothering you. I'm more into...women"

Her clarification made Rey blush. Jess might thought she was a fool. She tried to answer something with a neutral tone but failed miserably. It made Jessika smile.

"Rey?"

The voice of Luke Skywalker brought Rey to the reality. She looked at him and waited for him to speak.

"Our training is done for today. Tomorrow, bring your friend Finn again. He might be Force sensitive."

She nodded and the quartet left the room. Poe briefly talked to Luke before exiting the room. The four of them headed towards the cantina while Luke stayed in the room, perplexed by Poe's news.

"Astra and Ester are starting to have dreams, Luke. I think you should talk to Leia. You need her if you want to convince Orana about the necessity for her children to train" he had told Luke.

"How do you dare taking that kind of decisions, Leia?"

Leia sighed. Orana had just stormed in her office. It had been in fact decided to train her two daughters. It had not pleased Leia to make that decision but it was for the best. Astra and Ester couldn't live in the dark, unaware of her abilities.

"Let me explain, Orana."

But the young woman wouldn't. She threw her hands in the air, already exasperated by what her mother-in-law would say.

"I don't care about your explanation, Leia. It was not your decision to make. Was it Luke, uh? Was he the one who pushed you to do this?"

"No one forced me into doing this. Poe talked to Luke. It seemed your daughters are starting to see things. It's for their safety."

Orana opened her mouth, only to shut it a few seconds later. Poe had talked to Luke? Orana was Astra and Ester's mother – how could they decide this without her consultation?

"They had managed before without Luke's training. They will manage. I never completed my training and I'm okay. No need to worry. I have this under control" Orana explained, her fists on Leia's desk.

Leia stared at the young woman. She looked scared and Leia could feel how panicked she was. Leia shook her head – she won't change her position either.

" Do you? Cause last time, you didn't " Leia said, referring to the incident " I can't force you to train but as Astra and Ester's grandmother, I will do whatever in my power to protect them from the dangers of the Force. Teaching them to control it will help them in the future."

Orana bit her lips. She knew Leia had a point. But the Force never had done anything good in the Skywalker family. Anakin had turned into Darth Vader, Ben into Kylo Ren… and even Orana was still having a hard time with that fucking thing. The Force didn't empower. It only shattered.

"Fine. But at the first incident, they'll stop. Are we clear, Leia?"

The General exhaled heavily. Stopping training never had been efficient. Orana had been the prove of that. Leia nodded, as a sign of agreement and her visitor left the room.

While Leia was trying to find a compromise with Orana, Jessika Pava was with Rey. The two women were talking about everything and nothing at the same, in order to get to know the other one. Rey had been amazed by Jess's journey – being a female pilot had been one of her dreams when she was little. She had preferred staying on Jakku though, with the secret hope that her parents would come back some day.

Jess was flattered by the many compliments Rey was credited her with. Rey's journey had impressed Jess too and the young pilot found that it was a shame that Luke's apprentice was so modest when it came to her adventures. Rey had managed to escape from a First Order's cell on her own – who could possibly do that nowadays? The First Order was told to have one of the safest security system.

The two women were now discussing Rey's training. The girl was staying evasive on the subject which disappointed quite a bit Jess. She had always wanted to know the secrets of the Jedi Order.

"Is it true you can't...you know...That you can't get engaged?" she asked bluntly.

Rey blushed at Jess's question. She had not expected that. Luke had vaguely brought the subject one day but she had never been curious on that matter. Her priority was not dating but kicking The First Order's asses. They needed to pay for their behavior.

"Master Luke only told me that any form of attachment was forbidden in the Jedi Order. " she briefly explained.

" But many people didn't abide by this rule. Anakin married Padmé or Ben married Orana..."

Rey cut Jessika " That was different. Anakin turned into a monster and Ben...well he is working for the enemy. Anyway, that matter doesn't not concern me at the very moment."

Jessika winced at Rey's answer. She tried to sound casually and asked "What do you mean by "it doesn't concern you"? Most people fall in love, Rey. It might happen to you one day."

Rey shook her head. " I don't doubt about my ability to fall in love but dating is not my priority. My priority is to be one of best Luke's apprentice and to end Snoke."

Jessika tried not to show her disappointment but the smile she had displayed a few seconds earlier was now gone. She wasn't fooling anyone. She nodded and pretended that she had something to do and that she had to go. The two women parted and Jess texted Orana. " Meeting in ten minutes. I hope you have ice-cream with you ".

Ten minutes later, Jess had barged into Orana's room. Her friend was laying on her couch, one box of chocolate ice-cream in her hands. Jess looked at her friend and smiled. Orana was the best.

"What's the matter? Who broke your heart this time?" asked gently her friend.

"I think I've been Jedizoned." she said abruptly.

Her friend snickered. "Jedizoned? What the hell does it mean, Jess?"

Jess took the spoon and took a bit of ice-cream. It melted in her mouth. She exhaled and smiled. Ice-cream was the best thing to eat whenever you were Jedizoned.

"It means being friendzoned but by a Jedi."

Orana stopped eating and looked at her friend. " Don't tell me you had a crush on Luke, Jess."

"Hell no, Orana! We don't all have crushes on the Skywalker, Solo. I'm talking about Rey."

Orana didn't know what to say. Seeing the surprise on her friend's face, Jessika decided to tell her what happened. Rey didn't want have someone in her life as she needed to be focused on destroying the First Order.

"Jess, she might doesn't want someone in her life but it did not mean she does not want you. Who doesn't fall in love with you, anyway? But she had a point – Jedi don't engage."

"But you did"

"After months of persuasion."

"But you did" Jess repeated.

Orana smiled and nodded. She could remember how she had feared she would never be able to be with Ben because of that damn and old-school rule. They had hidden their relationship for months before telling Leia and Han. She could hear herself telling to Ben one day, after they had spent the afternoon together "You're sure you want to be an old school Jedi after that make-out session?". He had laughed between two kisses.

Warmth colored her cheeks. An another memory surfaced. It was the moment when Ben had headed to Luke's in order to train properly. They had gotten married despite all. He had looked her in the eyes and had told her four words. Four words she had cherished for months… He had said **_"Please, wait for me"_** and she had believed him.

But suddenly, the memory vanished as someone knocked furiously at the door. Orana glanced at Jess and her friend stoop up to open the door. Finn appeared on the threshold, panick in his eyes..but also bitterness.

"Are you okay, Finn?" Jess asked seriously. She would have made a joke if Finn had not seemed so damn pissed by something.

The young man shook his head.

"I need you for something risky. No one needs to know. Even Poe."

Orana was as puzzled as Jess.

"What's going on, Finn?"

 _ **"**_ _ **I think I know where the First Order is." Finn said.**_


End file.
